AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's tennis team battled a high-level NCAA Division II opponent on Wednesday, taking on the Flyers of Lewis University from Illinois. The Flyers, who were ranked fifth in the Midwest in Division II last season, won the final match of the day to claim a 4-3 victory over the Gyrenes at the AMU Tennis Facility.

Both contested doubles matches were won by Lewis, giving the Flyers the opening point. Ave Maria started with one victory in pairs action, as the Flyers did not contest the third doubles spot. Lewis' team of Oskar Lusti and Pedja Trifunovic rolled to a 6-0 victory at the second spot, while the team of Juan Ramirez Mejia and David Ambrozic clinched the point with a 7-6 win at the first position. Ramirez Mejia and Ambrozic defeated the Ave team of Henrique Pruner and Nicholas Hofmeister thanks to a 7-4 win in the tiebreaker.

Ave Maria's two singles victories were joined with a forfeit at the number six position. The first win of the day was provided by Hofmeister, who picked up a win at the number one spot with a 7-5, 6-2 triumph. The other win was a rout at the hands of Michael Myrtil. The Kissimmee native dominated his opponent at the fifth spot, losing just one point in a 6-0, 6-1 win. 

Three of the five singles matches went to the Flyers, allowing Lewis to claim the overall victory. Just one of those wins - a 6-4, 6-3 victory by Lusti at the number two spot, came in straight sets. Ambrozic won his match at the number three spot, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. The match was decided at the fourth position in a contest between Trifunovic and Alejandro Viedma. Viedma won the first set, 6-4, but the Flyer rallied to win the match with triumphs of 6-3 and 7-5.

The Gyrene men, who earned national recognition earlier in the day by being listed among the teams receiving votes in the NAIA Coaches' Poll, will play another NCAA Division II program on Saturday. The Gyrenes will host Eckerd College, with opening serve scheduled for 2:00 p.m.