Grand Rapids, Mich. — The Aquinas men's tennis team opened its spring season against a quality NCAA Division II opponent in Davenport. The Saints lost 6-1 but the final score didn't exactly showcase the fight AQ put up Friday afternoon (Feb. 3) at the Grand Rapids Racquet and Fitness Center.

The match started with doubles where AQ's top pair, Tom Gangov and Josep Coll Llopis, defeated Jan Stolin and Joel Mast, 6-4. The Panthers, however, won a close No. 2 doubles match, 7-5, and took the one point on offer with a 6-0 sweep in the No. 3 doubles match.

The singles matches is where things got interesting despite Davenport winning five of the six matchups. The Saints' lone winner was Coll Llopis at No. 2 singles with a come-from-behind 2-1 win (2-6, 6-2, 6-3).

AQ forced three other single matches to three sets. No. 3 Max Goldbeck-Lowe went down 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. No. 4 Nicholas Klak suffered a 7-5, 2-6, 6-0 defeat, and No. 6 Mariano Arroyo played the longest third set of the match in a 6-2, 1-6, 10-7 loss.

No. 1 Gangov also battled with Subash Paramasivam but fell 6-4, 7-5. While No. 5 Jackson VanBergen lost a pair of 6-3 sets to Jose Brenes.

Aquinas is back in action tomorrow (Feb. 4) at Calvin.