CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — The Wabash College tennis team claimed a tightly contested doubles victory to open the match but could not maintain the momentum in singles play, falling 6-1 to 15th-ranked Washington University in St. Louis Saturday evening at Crawfordsville High School.

Wabash (9-8) struck first at number one doubles, where Augusto Ghidini and Rafael Rin outlasted Colin Fox and Jeremy Sieben in a tiebreaker, earning a 7-6 (7-5) victory to give the Little Giants an early edge.

Washington University (7-4) answered at number two doubles as Avi Mahajan and Colin Scruggs defeated Murilo Guarniari and Edmon Neto 6-4. The doubles point was decided at number three, where Drew Koval and Nathan Tam edged Vittorio Bona and Cole Shifferly 7-6 (8-6) in another tightly contested match to give the Bears a 1-0 lead heading into singles competition.

The Bears carried that momentum into singles play, winning five of six matches to secure the team victory.

At number one singles, Scruggs defeated Shifferly 6-2, 6-2. Sieben followed with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Rin at number two singles to extend the WashU lead.

Wabash picked up its lone team point at number three singles, where Guarniari earned a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Case Fagan.

WashU added to its lead at number four singles with Fox defeating Ghidini 6-4, 6-4. At number five singles, Coleman Merce rallied after dropping the opening set to defeat Neto 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-8) in a match decided by a super tiebreak. Koval completed the scoring at number six singles with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Eduardo Werneck.

Wabash plays a pair of road matches on Sunday against Rose-Hulman at 11 a.m. at Terre Haute North High School in Terre Haute, Indiana. The Little Giants will also play a North Coast Athletic Conference match at Wittenberg University at 2:30 p.m.