NEW CONCORD, OH – The Franciscan University of Steubenville Barons tennis team took on the Muskingum College Fighting Muskies Tuesday night, losing 9-0.  With the loss, the Barons dropped to a 1-5 overall standing and 1-3 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

Matt Alexander displayed a competitive edge against Muskingum's Daniel Gomez, losing his match 4-6, 7-5, 4-10.

“Matt Alexander had a good game,” Barons head coach Curtis Allen noted.  “He really stepped up his game filling in for Andrew Straub, who had school commitments so was unable to play in this match.”

Chris Cooper also had a noteworthy performance, forcing extra points in the first set of his 7-5, 6-1 loss to Mac Reed.  Meanwhile, Nick Cundiff lost 6-4, 6-1; Clark Thompson lost 6-4, 6-4; Adam Vanlieshout lost 6-3, 6-3; and Joey Alvarez fell 6-1, 6-0.

“It was a quick tempo game today,” Allen remarked.  “The Fighting Muskies are very good. We lost a couple of close ones, but their pace was a lot quicker than ours – in their demeanor and the way they hit the ball.”

“The season is coming along fine,” Allen said of his team.  “We are getting better everyday, and getting the experience we need.  We now have two games, back-to-back, versus Frostburg State University.  I think we will match up against them pretty well, and it will be good to play them twice in a row.  That way we can see their strengths and weaknesses and come back the next day with those things in mind.”

The Barons travel to Frostburg State on April 5 to take on the Bobcats at 4 p.m.