BRUNSWICK, Ga.- The Ave Maria University men's tennis team couldn't come up with another top 20 win on Friday, falling 4-3 to No. 20 Coastal Georgia on the road in Brunswick. The Gyrenes split the day's six singles matches with the Mariners, but Coastal Georgia's doubles point proved to be the difference in the matchup between two of the nation's top 20 teams.

Ave Maria had their chances to claim the doubles point, but two narrow losses allowed the Mariners to claim the early 1-0 lead. AMU's doubles win came at the second flight, where Fernando Orihuela and Gaston Erhardt came up with a 7-5 victory. 

Coastal Georgia also won both of their doubles matches by two points, winning at the first flight by a 7-5 score and claiming victory at the third flight by a score of 6-4. The match at the third flight was the last to finish, giving the doubles point to the hosts. 

AMU needed four singles wins to rally against the Mariners, but could only manage three. AMU's most domiant wins were provided by Gustavo Cruz and Carlos Thireau, who both won in straight sets. The nationally ranked Cruz was a 6-2, 6-2 winner at the first flight, while Thireau cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Coastal's Aymeric Bruno at the fourth flight.

The closest Ave Maria win came from Orihuela, who played the lone three-set match of the afternoon against the Mariners' Ramon Martinez Fererr. Orihuela emerged victorious from the dual with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 win over his opponent. Unfortunately for the Gyrenes, the Mariners won the only three singles matches in straight sets, allowing Coastal Georgia to claim victory.

The Gyrenes will get a second chance to earn a road win over a ranked conference opponent on Saturday, when AMU's trip into the Peach State reaches its second stop. Ave Maria will battle No. 24 SCAD-Savannah on their home court in Savannah, with opening serve scheduled for 1:00 p.m. The Gyrenes have won three straight matches in the series, winning at home in 2020 and 2022 and winning in Savannah in 2021.