MACON, Ga.- The Ave Maria University men's tennis team faced another high-level test early in the season on Friday, facing thee 14th ranked team in the nation, the Phoenix of Cumberland University. The Gyrenes earned one doubles win and one singles win, but got nothing else in a 4-1 loss to the Phoenix at the courts of Middle Georgia State University. The match was the first of two this weekend for AMU on the Middle Georgia campus.

The biggest win of the day for the Gyrenes came at the top singles flight, as Anderson Duggan and Gaston Erhardt defeated Cumberland's top team of Julian Parada and Vitor Ferreira, who entered the day as the 13th ranked team in the nation and the second-ranked team in the east region, 6-3. Cumberland was able to get the doubles point thanks to wins at the second and third flights, winning 6-1 at the second flight and 6-2 at the third.

The lone Gyrene singles win came from one of the players responsible for the doubles win, Gaston Erhardt. The Argentine junior defeated Vitor Ferreira, winning in straight sets 6-3, 7-5. His doubles partner, Duggan, also played well, taking the 44th ranked player in the nation in Parada to a third set. Duggan won a second set 7-5, and was in a battle with Parada when the match was clinched by Cumberland. 

Nolan Smith did the same for the Gyrenes at the fifth flight, taking his unfinished match to a third set. Cumberland easily took the other three matches, winning in straight sets in the second, fourth, and sixth singles flights to clinch the match against the (RV) Gyrenes.

Another quality opponent awaits the Gyrenes on Saturday, as Ave Maria's trip to the Peach State continues. Ave Maria will battle the No. 11 team in the nation, the host Knights of Middle Georgia State University. The battle between two of the nation's top 40 teams is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. The last meeting between the schools came almost two years ago, a 4-3 win for Middle Georgia played in Lakeland on March 23, 2022.