Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria men's and women's tennis teams took on NCAA DII Florida Tech at the AMU Tennis Complex on Wednesday afternoon. The women's team fell 9-0 while the men's team dropped a heartbreaking 5-4 decision.
 
The Gyrene men's team held a 2-1 lead after doubles play. David Zuleta and Nicholas Hofmeister won at one-doubles 8-4 and Cesar Menacho and Brandon Valley won at two-doubles 8-6 to earn AMU its first two points. Florida Tech won two-doubles 8-2.
 
In singles play, Florida Tech took the lead when they won at four-singles and three-singles. Zuleta evened the match at four with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) win at one-singles. After Florida Tech won at five-singles, Brandon Valley tied the match at five with a 6-2, 6-4 win at six singles. In the deciding match, Nicholas Hofmeister won the second set to force a third and deciding set. In the third set tiebreaker, Florida Tech was able to come away with the win 9-7.
 
On the women's side, Florida Tech led 3-0 after doubles play with an 8-1 win at one-doubles and 8-0 wins in the two- and three-doubles spots. The Florida Tech women's team, who finished last season ranked 26th in NCAA Division II, won all six singles matches, dropping just one game.
 
Ave Maria heads to Coastal Georgia this weekend to take on the Mariners on Saturday at 10 a.m.