TIPP CITY, Ohio – The Hanover men's tennis team took two-of-three doubles matches and split the six singles games en route to a 5-4 victory over Wittenberg (Ohio) Saturday afternoon.

The win is Hanover's second in their last three and third in the past five outings. The Panthers improve to 4-8 with the victory. Wittenberg falls to 0-3 after suffering the loss.

A pair of Panthers picked up wins in both doubles and singles play, junior Brent Barrett (New Palestine, Ind.) and sophomore Mitchell Minniear (Muncie, Ind.). Barrett started his day by teaming with senior Dakota Smith (Greenfield, Ind.), as the duo took the No. 2 doubles slot, 8-1. Minniear and his doubles partner, classmate Landon Carrico (New Albany, Ind.), also enjoyed an 8-1 victory in the third match.

With HC dropping the top three singles spots, it was up to the four, five and six slots to secure the team victory. Barrett conceded just one game over two sets, 6-1, 6-0, in the No. 4 match. Minniear nearly matched Barrett, winning at No. 6 by a count of 6-1, 6-1. Rounding out the singles scoring was junior Alec Bates (New Albany, Ind.), who won 6-3, 6-4 in the fifth slot.

Of note in HC's three singles losses, Smith saw his five-match winning streak come to an end, as he was forced to retire in the second set.

The Panthers will continue their preparations for the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference portion of their schedule by squaring off with Tennessee Wesleyan in a home exhibition match at 4 p.m., Thursday, March 22.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@hanover.edu