SAINT LEO, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's tennis team opened the 2023 spring season with a major test on Friday, taking on the Lions of Saint Leo University. St. Leo is a perrenial contender at the NCAA Division II level, and enters the spring as the number three team in the nation. Despite a 7-0 loss, the Gyrenes competed well against the Lions, winning one doubles match and pushing two singles matches to a third set.

Ave Maria's win was provided by Luca Cirenza and Gustavo Cruz at the top doubles spot. Cruz and Cirenza defeated the 14th ranked team in the nation at the D2 level with a 7-6 victory. The match was pushed to a tiebreaker, where Cruz and Cirenza earned a 7-4 win. Despite the triumph at the top spot, Saint Leo claimed the doubles point with convincing victories at the second and third doubles flights.

In singles action, Ave Maria's best performances were provided by Carlos Thireau and Guilherme Bento. At the third singles position, Thireau faced the No. 37 player in the nation, Vincent Thiel. After falling 6-4 in the first set, Thireau claimed a 7-5 win in the second, forcing a decisive third set. Thiel did claim the win with a 6-3 victory in the final set. Bento did the same against Ghali Mensour, winning in the second set before dropping the decisive frame. 

The other four singles matches were won by the Lions in straight sets. AMU nearly got a third match into a third set, when Greyson Williams just missed out on forcing a tiebreaker in the second set of his match against Henrique Bertoli.

AMU's next match will be an exhibition match against Florida Palms University. Ave Maria will host Florida Palms Saturday on the AMU campus, with opening serve of the doubles matches scheduled for 1:00 p.m.. The Gyrenes' next countable match will come against another NCAA Division II foe. Ave Maria will travel across the state for a match against the Sailfish of Palm Beach Atlantic University.