AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's tennis team battled a nationally-recognized team on Saturday afternoon, welcoming the Southeastern University Fire to the AMU Tennis Facility. The Fire, who are receiving votes in the newest NAIA Coaches' Poll, won four of six singles matches and two of three doubles matches to claim a 5-2 victory in Sun Conference action.
Ave Maria did pick up one victory in doubles action, courtesy of the number one team of Nicholas Hofmeister and Henrique Pruner. The duo beat the top Southeastern pair handily, winning 6-1. However, the Fire were able to win the doubles point with victories at the number two and number three spots. Felipe Barbosa and Timothy Nacca teamed up for a 6-4 win in the number two spot, and Santiago Haas and Alec Lichter combined in a 7-5 triumph at the number three spot that would prove  to be the difference.
In singles action, AMU two points came from the number three and number five spots. Both wins came in three sets, with the Gyrene winning the first and third sets. Carlos Thireau remained perfect in Sun Conference play, thanks to a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 victory at the third position against Barbosa. Alejandro Viedma earned his third overall singles win, and second in conference play, via a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win over Omar Fiorenzato at the number five position.
Southeastern came out on top in the other four singles matches, which was enough to leave Ave Maria with the win. Three of the Fire's four wins were in straight sets, with the number six position proving to be the exception. Ave Maria's Felipe Amorim won the first set 6-1, but Lichter responded with a 6-3 edge in the second set. A third-set tiebreaker decided the winner, with Lichter claiming a 10-7 triumph over the AMU freshman.
The Gyrenes will return to Sun Conference action next Saturday against the Bees of SCAD-Savannah. Ave Maria will host SCAD-Savannah, which will be the team's final conference match for nearly a month. Opening serve between the Gyrenes and the Bees is scheduled  for 1:00 p.m. at the AMU Tennis Facility.
