SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers put the finishing touches on the fall portion of their 2007-08 men's tennis season with a deceivingly close 7-2 loss to NAIA scholarship program Ohio Dominican.
The loss dropped the Tigers to 1-1 on the season. Two weeks earlier, Wittenberg topped Ohio Wesleyan 5-4 in the season and North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) opener for each team.
Wittenberg lost three tiebreakers in the match, a sweep that cost that Tigers a chance at the win. Two of the near-misses came in a three-match doubles sweep for Ohio Dominican as the visiting Panthers pretty much put the match out of reach.
In singles action, sophomore Rob Lehner (Gahanna, Ohio/DeSales) lost a third-set tiebreaker after winning the second set 6-0 at the No. 4 position. Behind him, however, sophomore Craig Lods (Chillicothe, Ohio/Chillicothe) and junior Dan McNeely (Beavercreek, Ohio/Xenia Christian) captured wins at the Nos. 5 and 6 spots.
McNeely and Lods lost together at the No. 3 doubles position by a 9-8 score, while Lehner and senior Ryan Snyder (Trotwood, Ohio/Madison) narrowly lost at No. 2 doubles by a 9-8 score, including a 9-7 margin in the tiebreaker.