BABSON PARK, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's tennis team kept winning on Saturday, taking four singles matches to ensure a 4-3 win over the Warner University Royals in Babson Park. The Gyrenes, who are ranked 14th in the nation in the most recent NAIA Coaches' Poll, have been red hot over the past six weeks, holding an 8-1 record since the start of March, a stretch that includes wins over two ranked teams and an NCAA Division I opponent.

Warner took the doubles point, thanks to wins at the top two spots. The Royals' duo of Felipe Gil and nationally ranked Bruno Pessoa claimed a 6-1 win at the top spot, while Richard Hartmann and Davide Pelletti clinched the point with a 6-4 win at the second position. Ave Maria's lone doubles win was provided by Carlos Thireau and Guilherme Bento, who rolled to a 6-0 sweep at the number three spot. 

Ave Maria then won four matches in singles play, and took all four in comfortable fashion to claim the match. At the third position, Fernando Orihuela took the first set, 6-1, and was declared the winner when his opponent retired. Sebastian Grijalva was a 6-4, 6-3 winner at the number four spot, and Carlos Thireau cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 win at the number five spot. Tom Alias completed AMU's sweep of the bottom four singles matches with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Warner's Jake Edwards.

Bruno Pessoa, the 26th ranked player in the nation, was responsible for one of Warner's wins, a 7-6, 6-2 victory at the top spot. The other Royal victory came from Pessoa's doubles partner, Felipe Gil, who knocked off AMU's Bruno Duarte in three sets, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

Ave Maria's victory locked up a runner-up finish in The Sun Conference, the team's highest finish in program history. The Gyrenes will be the number two seed in the SUN Championships later this month, and will take on third-seeded Southeastern University, who is also nationally ranked, in the semifinals in Brunswick. 

As far as the regular season is concerned, Ave Maria will play their last scheduled match Tuesday against the Conquistadors of Florida National University, with opening serve scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Before the match against the Conquistadors, who are receiving votes in the most recent NAIA Coaches' Poll, the AMU tennis program will honor its graduating seniors, as part of Senior Day festivities.