FORT SMITH, Arkansas – The Ouachita men's tennis team opened Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association/Great American Conference play on Saturday with a 5-2 road win over Arkansas-Fort Smith.

The Tigers opened with wins on courts one and three in doubles to take a 1-0 lead into singles. Phil Exner and Ramon Strassmann, ranked 12th nationally in doubles, earned a 6-3 win on court one. Aaron Osmond and Yarin Aebi won 6-4 on court three. Elias Lagger and Tinus Mueller had a hard-fought battle on court two, ultimately falling 6-4.

In singles, the No. 1 and No. 2 battles needed a tiebreaker to determine the point with Exner, ranked second in the nation in singles, coming away with a win at No. 1 and Ramon Strassmann falling in tough matchup against Juan Rosello.

Lagger, Moritz Buss, and Mueller all earned two-set wins in their respective singles matchups to give the Tigers the overall team victory.

Ouachita will be back in action next Sunday, February 16 at home against Mississippi College.
 

OUACHITA 5, UA-FORT SMITH 2

DOUBLES
1.     Exner & Strassmann (OUA) def. Eduardo Bribliesca & Kilian Darneaux (UAFS) 6-3
2.     Rosello & Anis Ramchane (UAFS) def. Lagger & Mueller (OUA) 6-4
3.     Osmond & Aebi (OUA) def. Rodrigo Hoppe & Kevin Praphan (UAFS) 6-4

SINGLES
1.     Exner (OUA) def. Bribliesca (UAFS) 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 7-6 (7-1)
2.     Rosello (UAFS) def. Strassmann (OUA) 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-2
3.     Lagger (OUA) def. Ramchane (UAFS) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
4.     Buss (OUA) def. Darneaux (UAFS) 6-3, 6-1
5.     Hoppe (UAFS) def. Aebi (OUA) 6-2, 6-2
6.     Mueller (OUA) def. Praphan (UAFS) 6-4, 6-2