DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's tennis team took on yet another nationally ranked team on Wednesday evening, facing one of the best from the NCAA Division II level. The Gyrenes battled the Eagles of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, who are currently ranked 15th in the nation in Division II. The Eagles claimed a 7-0 victory, winning all nine matches despite a strong Gyrene effort in several singles matches. 

Embry-Riddle controlled all three singles matches to earn the first point of the day. The closest of the three matches was 6-2, which saw ERAU's top team of Juan Ortiz Couder and Andres Donayre defeat Ave Maria's Fernando Orihuela and Sebastian Grijalva. The Eagles also earned a 6-1 win at the number two spot, and swept the third position, 6-0.

The most competitive match of the day was between Orihuela and Donayre at the number two singles spot. Donayre took the first set, 6-4, but Orihuela bounced back for a 6-3 win in the second set, which proved to be Ave Maria's lone set win on the day. With the match already decided, the pair played a 10-point tiebreaker, with Donayre emerging victorious, 10-5.

Carlos Thireau also played a competitive match at the number four spot, taking the second set with Michele Iftimie to a tiebreaker after falling 6-3 in the opening set. In the other four matches, Ave Maria managed just eleven total points against an Embry-Riddle lineup headlined by a top 50 player in the nation in Couder.

Ave Maria, who remained at No. 21 in the nation in the NAIA Coaches' Poll released Wednesday, will face another nationally recognized team Friday morning at home. The Spirit of Ottawa University in Arizona will come to town, with opening serve scheduled for 9:00 a.m. It marks the fifth consecutive match for the AMU men against a team either ranked or receiving votes in their division.