NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. – The Hanover men's tennis team took the bottom three singles matches Thursday evening against Midway (Ky.) but ultimately fell 5-4 in its first official match of the spring season.

The Panthers, who were competing in just their second head-to-head match of the 2018-19 campaign, fall to 1-1 with the loss. The Eagles improve to 4-1 this season, as the NAIA institution is now 1-1 against NCAA Division III schools in 2018-19.

Hanover took one of three doubles matches to open the neutral-site contest at Top Seed Tennis Club. Junior Landon Carrico (New Albany, Ind.) and freshman Keith Asplund (Jeffersonville, Ind.) got the Panthers on the board first with an 8-3 decision at No. 3 doubles.

Asplund went on to earn a straight set victory at No. 4 singles as well, 6-2, 6-4. Additional singles victories came from sophomore Roger Trombley (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) and junior Jonathan Helmers (Cincinnati, Ohio) in the fifth and sixth slots, respectively. Trombley won 6-2, 7-6, while Helmers cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 decision.

Trailing in the match 3-1, wins by Trombley and Helmers tied it up at three-all. Asplund's victory later on tied the match once again at 4-4. Unfortunately for HC, a pair of three-set losses in the top half of singles play doomed their hopes of a comeback.

Hanover will quickly look to bounce back when they face nationally-ranked No. 23 Sewanee (Tenn.) at 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16. The match will be the Panthers' second straight in Nicholasville, Ky. at the Top Seed Tennis Club.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@hanover.edu