MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Competing against one of the top teams in the nation, the Wesleyan men's tennis team competed and managed to take two points off of No. 3 nationally ranked Tufts in a 7-2 loss. Wesleyan (3-7, 2-4 NESCAC) is just the fourth team to take two points or more off of the Jumbos (9-1, 4-1 NESCAC) in a dual match this spring.
 
That first point came from Zach Lieb '22 and Harry Portnoy '24 in doubles play as the Cardinals' #2 team defeated Paris Pentousis and Isaac Gorelik in a near-perfect match, winning 8-1. Wesleyan then saw losses at #1 and #3 as Peter Anker '22 and Ben Mitchell '24 fell to Rishabh Sharda and Josh Belandres 8-5 at #1 while Clay Gaieski '23 and Max Lustgarten '25 were downed 8-2 in a match against Derin Acaroglu and Niko Hereford at #3.
 
In singles action, it was Anker who starred as he was locked in a thrilling match against Gorelik as the Cardinal senior dropped the first set 6-3 but managed to fight back with a clean 6-0 sweep in the second set. Then in the third set tiebreak, it was Anker who pulled out a 10-6 victory to move to 8-2 in dual matches this season at #1.
 
Mitchell nearly scored Wesleyan another point as he dropped the first set 6-1 against Vuk Vuksanovic at #3 before bouncing back with a 6-3 second set victory. Sending the match into a third set tiebreak, it was Vuksanovic who pulled out a 10-6 win.
 
Tufts dominated in the four remaining singles matches, sealing the match with a Sharda win at #2 over Lieb.
 
Wesleyan has a quick turnaround and will face Bates on Sunday at 2 PM from the John Wood Memorial Tennis Courts.