Westerville, Ohio – The Transylvania men's tennis team pushed the Otterbein University Cardinals early on Sunday before the Cardinals pulled away for an 8-1 match victory at the Clements Rec Center.

The Pioneers completed their Ohio weekend trip with an 0-2 overall record but came away from the weekend with an air of development in motion.

The Pioneers tussled with the Cardinals in all three doubles matches to open up the day. In the No. 1 doubles match, Otterbein's Connor Radune and Jared Deel held off the charging duo of seniors Luke Groene and Eric Sandknop for an 8-6 win.

In No. 3 doubles, J.T. Henderson and Daniel Cooper fell to Daniel Bishoff and Logan Sullivan, 8-4.

The Pioneers seized a confidence-booster in No. 2 doubles where Brandon Stofleth and Edis Sinanovic won over Juan Vera and Tyler Wharton 8-6 as the Pioneers took a 2-1 deficit into singles play.

But the Cardinals applied heavy pressure to the Pioneers in singles play, wrapping up all six matches in straight sets over the Pioneers.

Transylvania returns to action on Wednesday, March 28 when the Pioneers visit the Centre College Colonels in Danville, Kentucky. The match is scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. start.

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