ADRIAN, Mich. – The men's tennis team (8-7) got off to a good start by rallying in the final two doubles matches to take a 2-1 lead into singles play before bowing to Trine (5-10), 6-3, Saturday afternoon in conference play.

The match could have gone either way as three of the six singles matches had to go to a third and deciding set and a fourth match that was lost in straight sets required extra games before it was decided.

Michael Mertz and Alex Amos were strong at No. 2 doubles winning 8-1, while the No. 3 doubles pair of Ryan Delacy and Spencer Georgetti gave Adrian a 2-1 lead with an 8-6 win.

Only Mertz could pull points in singles play by rallying with 6-1 and 6-4 wins after losing the first set 6-7 (3-7). Jordan Verbauwhede and Amos lost three-set matches at No.1 and No. 4 singles play, respectively.

Delacy and Georgetti dropped straight-sets at No. 2 and No. 5 singles play, respectively; while Troy Gargrave lost two tight sets that went to extra games at No. 6 singles with a 7-6 (8-6) loss and a 7-5 loss.

The men's team will play tomorrow at home against Kalamazoo at 1 p.m.