Butler’s men’s tennis team huddles up before a match. The Bulldogs improve to 12-4 on the season with the win over Ball State. Collegian file photo. 

JAROD LIPSON | STAFF REPORTER | jlipson@butler.edu

The Butler University men’s tennis team narrowly defeated Ball State by a score of 4-3 on April 4. The victory extends the Bulldogs’ winning streak to three.

Ball State secured the doubles point, taking the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. Only the pairing of Ari Gerstein and Adrian Mag were able to win for Butler, doing so in the No. 3 spot.

After losing in doubles play in tandem with Aviv Ben Shabat, Mason Dragos dropped his singles matchup as well in straight sets.

Ben Shabat, however, redeemed himself in singles play, with a straight-set victory. Along with a point won by Spencer Lang, this tied the match at two.

The next two matchups to finish both took three sets. Mag secured a point, while Gerstein surrendered one, leaving the match tied.

Michael Dickson and Ball State’s Marko Guzina would decide the match. It came to a decisive third set, which finished 6-4, but Dickson got it done for Butler.

With their third consecutive win, Butler now stands at 12-4. The Bulldogs return to Indianapolis for an away match against IUPUI on April 6.