OWINGS MILLS, Md. - The Messiah men's tennis team dropped their first conference match of the season on Saturday afternoon, falling 8-1 against the Stevenson Mustangs. Messiah dropped all three courts in doubles play and picked up their lone point on the afternoon at No. 3 singles with Jarod Snader earning a straight-set, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Larry Johnson III.
 
The loss drops the Falcons to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the MAC Commonwealth. The Falcons are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Annville to take on the Lebanon Valley Dutchmen at 3:30 p.m.
 
Doubles Play
The Mustangs earned a pair of quick team points thanks to victories of 8-2 and 8-3 at No. 3 and No. 2 doubles, respectively. The top court in doubles play was the tightest match of the afternoon with a tie-breaker necessary to declare a winner. Messiah's Andrew Bookman and Galen Fitzkee battled Ray McDermott and Larry Johnson III to the wire. With the match tied 7-7, the Mustangs pulled out a 7-5 victory in the tiebreak to clinch the final doubles point and take a 3-0 lead into singles play.
 
Singles Play
At No. 3 singles, Messiah's Jarod Snader was quickly off the court with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Larry Johnson III. Snader's victory gave the Falcons their first point of the afternoon and made it a 3-1 Mustangs' lead.
 
That was as close as the Falcons would get as Ray McDermott earned Stevenson's fourth point at No. 1 singles with a 6-1, 6-4 victory and Ben Porto clinched the victory with a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles.
 
Stevenson closed out the 8-1 victory with strong play on the bottom three singles courts, claiming all three matches in straight sets and only dropping a total of four games across the three courts.
 
What's Up Next
As mentioned, the Falcons are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Lebanon Valley to face an undefeated Dutchmen squad that is 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the conference. First serve is at 3:30 p.m.