After a two-week layoff, the Butler men’s tennis team took on three opponents in a four-day span, losing all three matches.
The Bulldogs (1-7) were looking to stop a three-match losing streak, during which they failed to score a point.
Yesterday, Butler traveled to Cincinnati where they lost to Xavier, 7-0.
Senior Brandon Bayliss was outlasted in three sets by Xavier’s Bobby Deye. Junior Zach Ervin also lost in three sets for the Bulldogs.
Against unbeaten Drake on Sunday, seniors Chris Herron and Bryce Warren teamed up to win at No. 1 doubles. The pair defeated Drake senior Mauricio Ballivian and sophomore Anis Ghorbel in a tiebreaker, 8-7.
Their win wasn’t enough, as Drake (4-0) defeated Butler in all six singles matches, winning the match, 7-0.
At No. 3 singles, Herron lost narrowly to Ghorbel, 6-4, 6-4. He was Butler’s best-faring singles player.
On Saturday, Butler traveled to West Lafayette, Ind., to battle the Purdue Boilermakers.
Herron picked up a win over Purdue freshman Mark Kovacs at No. 3 singles to give Butler its first point since Jan. 23. However, the Boilermakers (4-2) swept the remaining points to clinch a 6-1 victory.
The Bulldogs, on a five-match losing streak, are in the midst of a tough non-conference schedule.
Butler has already played four Big Ten opponents, including fourth-ranked Ohio State and a Wisconsin squad that advanced to last season’s Sweet Sixteen.
“Our tough schedule, along with some injuries, has lost us some confidence,” head coach Jason Suscha said.
Horizon League play begins Mar. 20 and Ervin said he believes that he and his teammates can salvage the season.
“It only takes a couple of good matches here or there to get that confidence back,” Ervin said. “I think we’ll be fine by the time conference season starts and we’ll be able to turn our record around.”
Butler will look to put an end to the losing skid when the Bulldogs host Toledo Sunday. The Rockets (7-5) will be coming off back-to-back matches against Valparaiso and DePaul.