ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) men's tennis team was defeated by Ohio Northern University, 5-2, this afternoon at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla.

The Lyons slip to 1-5 on the season, while the Polar Bears improve to 5-2.

Ohio Northern won all three doubles matches to earn the dual match's first point. Wheaton took two of six in singles play.

Wheaton sophomore Jaime Galligo (Madrid, Spain) picked up the Lyons' first point of the match at number one singles, dropping just three games in a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Ohio Northern senior Peyton Specht (Munster, Ind.). Wheaton sophomore Jack Thain (Aberdeen, Scotland) gutted out a 7-5, 7-5 triumph at number six singles over Polar Bear sophomore Kosuke Asada (Findlay, Ohio). 

Ohio Northern picked up match wins at number two through five singles. Lyon sophomore Paul Berteaux (Courbevoie, France) took junior T.J. Schultz (Grand Blanc, Mich.) to the limit in the opening set at number two singles, but was edged 7-6 (4), before falling in the second frame, 6-1. Wheaton first year Pablo Munoz (Paris, France) battled in a 6-4, 6-4 defeat to ONU sophomore Tyler Wood (Toledo, Ohio) at third singles.

Lyon sophomores Calvin Van Dyke (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Jake Murray (San Diego, Calif.) both fought hard in close second set finishes of their matches at number four and five singles, respectively, before bowing to their Polar Bear opponents. Van Dyke dropped the opening set to first year Noah Boyce (Oakwood, Ohio), 6-3, before succumbing in the second frame, 7-5. Murray was downed in the first set at fifth singles by sophomore Kessler Hackenberger (Tipp City, Ohio), 6-2. Murray battled to a 6-6 stalemate, before Hackenberger won the tie-break, 7-4 to take the match.

Specht and Wood cruised to a 6-1 win at number one doubles for Ohio Northern over Galligo and Berteaux. Senior Sam Sran (Punjab, India) combined with Hackenberger on a 6-3 win at number three doubles for the Polar Bears over Wheaton senior Daniel Bor (Seattle, Wash.) and Munoz. The tightest doubles match of the day came at number two with Boyce and Schultz outlasting Van Dyke and Murray by a count of 7-6 (5).

The Lyons return to action again on Thursday, March 13 when they take on New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference foe Emerson College at the United States Tennis Association National Campus in Orlando, Fla. at 11:00 a.m., while Ohio Northern plays Hampden-Sydney (Va.) College today at 6:30 p.m.