NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University men's tennis team was unable to overcome a 2-1 deficit after doubles play on Friday in Shapiro Field House, falling to Albertus Magnus 5-4 in their Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opener.

Norwich's Patrick O'Neal (Indiana, Pa.) and Isaac Chapman (Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia) combined for the lone Cadet victory in doubles play, before each earning a win in their singles matches later in the contest. Dimitry Mucha (Harwinton, Conn.) also picked up a win in singles play.

During the doubles portion of the match O'Neal and Chapman combined to earn a win in No. 3 doubles, defeating Julien-Jean Baptiste and Rockenson Charles 8-4 in the match.  The Falcons pairings of Zak Levine and Alex Hale at No. 1 doubles and Nick Tagliaferri and Alessandro Proscino at No. 2 doubles were able to withstand their opposition from the Cadets, to take a 2-1 lead into the singles portion of play.

In singles play, the Falcons were able to secure three of the six matches to clinch the victory, but Norwich was able to earn three wins to keep tight.

In No. 4 singles, Dimitry Mucha earned a key 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 win over Alessandro Proscino, and O'Neal downed his fifth singles opponent 6-4, 6-3 to earn a pair of points for the Cadets.

Chapman held off Charles in No. 6 singles in the first set, winning a tiebreaker 8-6 for the 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 win.

Albertus Magnus won first, second, and third singles in straight sets as they earned the 5-4 win.  

Norwich (1-1, 0-1 GNAC) scheduled contest for Saturday, Mar. 26 against Eastern Nazarene has been postponed. The Cadets will next play on Thursday, Mar. 31 when they host NVU-Lyndon in a 3:30 pm matchup in Shapiro Field House. Norwich will then travel to Castleton on Sunday, Apr. 2 in a rematch of their season opener.