MOBILE, Ala.- The Ave Maria University men's tennis team couldn't make a return trip to the national round of 16, falling in the first round of the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championships, 4-1, to McPherson College. The Gyrenes dropped the doubles point, and then fell in three of the first four singles matches to finish, ending their season in the program's second-ever trip to the national tournament.

It was a marathon day in Mobile, with play disrupted for hours on end due to inclement weather in Mobile. In doubles action, McPherson claimed victory at the second and third flights, clinching the point. Both of McPherson's wins were competitive, with Oscar Brouwer and Trey Murphy winning in the second flight, 6-4, and Celien Botlan/Daniel Marcano winning 7-5 in the third flight. AMU's top team of Gustavo Cruz and Luca Cirenza held a 5-4 lead at the first flight when the doubles point was clinched.

McPherson clinched the match in much the same fashion, winning in the bottom three flights before AMU could claim more than one victory. McPherson won in the fourth, fifth, and sixth flights, taking all three matches in straight sets. Ave Maria's victory was provided by Cirenza, who rolled to a win at the third flight with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over McPherson's Martin Millos. 

In the top two spots in the lineup, Ave Maria had a chance to win both, but neither match finished following the Bulldogs' clinching point. At the top spot, Cruz was poised to defeat Michael Beltran, holding a 7-6, 5-1 lead. At the second flight, Gaston Erhardt was in a battle with Marcus Nardy, with the match halted with a 4-6, 6-3, 1-1 score.

Ave Maria's season comes to an end in Mobile for the second season in a row, the program's first two trips to the national tournament. Ave Maria finished the season with an 8-7 record, a record that included the team's best national seed - No. 13 - as well as victories over national tournament teams from Xavier and St. Thomas