Box Score Amherst, MA - The Colby Men's Tennis team opened up the first of two NESCAC matches on the road this weekend against the Mammoths at the Ludwick Tennis Club. 

With wins at the #2 and #3 positions, Amherst secured the opening doubles point, followed by a 6-4 win at the #1 position. 

In singles play, there were a number of tight affairs, with both teams trading momentum swings. The first to finish was the #3 spot, with Amherst winning 6-0, 6-2. Amherst then won at the #5 spot 6-2, 6-2, bringing the Mammoths within one point. Clinching for Amherst was the #2 position, winning 6-4, 6-2, despite a valiant effort from Colby.

Colby did not give up without a fight though, with the three remaining matches all going to deciding third sets. Senior captain Josh Kaplan built off his impressive win against Middlebury last Sunday, coming back from a set down to defeat his Amherst opponent at the #6 position, 3-6, 6-4, 1-0(3). Kaplan showcased incredible baseline play in the third set tiebreaker to win comfortably. Next to come back from a set down was senior captain Jake Cohen. After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, the senior captain showed tremendous mental toughness, stringing together dominant forehands and backhands to secure the come-from-behind win at the #1 spot, 6-7(1), 6-4, 1-0(7). First-year Marco Ziets-Segura was the last to finish. The first-year started out strong, claiming the first set 6-4. Unfortunately for the Mules, he could not hang on, ultimately losing 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

At the end of the match, Colby lost to the #10 nationally ranked Amherst Mammoths by a score of 5-2. The Mules will look to rebound tomorrow in an important NESCAC showdown with Hamilton College.