ORLANDO, Fla. – Wrapping up its spring break trip, the Otterbein University men's tennis team dropped a pair of hard-fought 4-3 matches on Thursday and Friday. The Cardinals fell to Loras College on Thursday before suffering another narrow defeat to Olivet Nazarene on Friday morning.

LORAS 4, OTTERBEIN 3

In doubles play, Otterbein's No. 1 and No. 2 teams both fell by identical 6-4 scores. At No. 3 doubles, Sanjan Shanker and Elivh Perez battled to a 7-5 victory, although Loras secured the doubles point.

In singles action, Shanker earned a 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 win at No. 1 singles to put the Cardinals on the board. At No. 2 singles, senior Max Fickas rallied for a 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-2) tiebreaker victory to add another point for Otterbein. Nikita Kitaev also contributed with a convincing 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 4 singles to round out the Cardinals' scoring. Loras claimed victories at No. 3, No. 5, and No. 6 singles to secure the match.

OLIVET NAZARENE 4, OTTERBEIN 3

Otterbein again dropped the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles matches to start Friday's contest, allowing Olivet Nazarene to capture the doubles point. Shanker and Perez provided the Cardinals' lone doubles victory with a 6-4 win at No. 3.

Fickas continued his strong play with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 2 singles. Junior Jake Chilcote added another point with a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles. Kitaev closed out the Cardinals' scoring by winning a tightly contested match at No. 4 singles, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6 (7-0).

Otterbein will return home on March 21 for a matchup against John Carroll University.