DEARBORN, Mich. - The Lawrence Technological (Mich.) University (LTU) men's tennis team lost its first match of the season 5-4 to Hillsdale (Mich.) College on Friday afternoon at the Dearborn Racquet and Health Club in Dearborn, Mich.

Lawrence Tech (8-1) swept the doubles matches to take a 2-0 lead on Hillsdale as Mason Wenzel (SO/Howell, MI) and Jan Horstkoetter (FR/Cologne, Germany) defeated Gianpiero Placidi and John Ciraci 8-4 at No. 2 doubles. Vincent Colarossi (SO/Dearborn Heights, MI) and Robert Saitov (FR/Ufa, Bashkortostan Republic Ru) won 8-5 over Jerry Hewitt and Zach Rabitoy at No. 3 doubles. Sergio Lopez (SR/Madrid, Spain) and Javier Alvarez (SO/Santiago de Compostela, Spain) fell at No. 1 doubles 8-4 to Justin Hyman and Dasan Delp.

Saitov gave LTU a 3-1 lead following his 6-0, 6-1 win over Hewitt at No. 6 singles. Colarossi lost at No. 5 6-4, 6-3 to Rabitoy as Hillsdale cut the lead to 3-2. The Charges tied the match at 3-3 following 6-3, 6-1 loss by Lopez at No. 1 singles.

Hillsdale won the next two matches to seal the 5-4 win as Alvarez fell at No. 2 singles 6-2, 6-3 to Delp and Horstkoetter dropped a straight set match to Placidi 6-3, 6-2. Wenzel finished the match off on a high note for LTU as he won 7-5, 6-4 at No. 4 singles over Ciraci.

Lawrence Tech is back on the court over Spring Break as they hit the road to Hilton Head Island, S.C. for the PTR Spring Tennis Fest. The first match is set for March 7 against Defiance. Time still to be determined.

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