HANOVER, Ind. – The Hanover men's tennis team closed out the home portion of its 2017-18 schedule with a 6-3, Senior Day win over Franklin Wednesday evening.

The Panthers, who have matched their longest winning streak since the 2015-16 season, six games, are 10-10 overall and 4-2 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Hanover has also likely locked up the No. 3 seed in next week's conference tournament, as they either need to win Saturday's match at Defiance or have Transylvania lose one of its final three remaining contests to do so.

Dakota Smith (Greenfield, Ind.) was honored prior to the match Wednesday evening as Hanover's lone senior athlete. Smith went 2-0 on the day, which started with an 8-3 win at No. 2 doubles with junior Brent Barrett (New Albany, Ind.). The senior then needed to go the distance at No. 2 singles, but won 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, securing the team's fifth point and the match. Barrett won during singles competition as well, taking the No. 3 slot, 6-1, 6-0.

Also earning a doubles victory was sophomore Landon Carrico (New Albany, Ind.) and junior Alec Bates (New Palestine, Ind.). The duo took the No. 3 match, 8-1. Carrico went on to take the top singles spot in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3, while Bates fell in three sets.

Sophomore Jonathan Helmers (Cincinnati, Ohio) earned the team's sixth point after winning the No. 4 singles match. Helmers need three sets to do so, winning 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.

As mentioned before, Hanover will conclude the regular season with a trip to Defiance this weekend. The Panthers and Yellow Jackets are slated for an 11 a.m. start Saturday, April 28.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@hanover.edu