Savannah, Ga. – Lynn University's eighth-ranked men's tennis team came out on the wrong side of a one-point decision for the second time this season as the Fighting Knights fell to sixth-ranked Columbus St. on neutral courts Friday afternoon, 5-4.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: #6 Columbus St. 5, #8 Lynn 4
Records: #6 Columbus St. (5-0), #8 Lynn (2-2)
Location: Savannah, Ga.
All-time Series: CSU leads 2-1
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• The Cougars secured the top two doubles flights but Jean-Baptiste Mateo and Jose Porfirio Ordonez – playing together for the first time – pulled out an 8-4 victory at No. 3.
• Mehdi Laalej and Mateo kept the Fighting Knights alive with singles victories at the top two positions, both over nationally-ranked foes. Laalej took down 17^th-ranked KP Pannu at the top spot, 6-3, 6-2, while Mateo won 6-2, 6-3 at No. 2.
• Columbus St. earned straight-set wins at No. 3 and No. 5 singles.
• 15^th-ranked Kay Bartmann fired back with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph at No. 4.
• The No. 6 match became the decider and CSU's 39^th-raned Jorge Vargas clinched the Cougars' victory in three sets, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.

• Laalej is 4-0 on the season in singles at the top position, with two wins over nationally-ranked adversaries.  
• The Cougars are undefeated on the year at 5-0. Today was their first win over a nationally-ranked opponent this season. Their first four wins on the year were all 9-0 decisions.
• Both of Lynn's setbacks this season have been to the No. 5 and 6 teams in the country.
• Last year, Lynn won the matchup between these two teams, 5-4.

UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights immediately return to action tomorrow, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m. against Armstrong State.