BOCA RATON, Fla. – Junior Mehdi Laalej posted a pair of big upset victories on Sunday afternoon to lead the eighth-ranked Lynn University men's tennis team but it was not enough as the No. 2 Barry University Buccaneers handed the Fighting Knights their first Sunshine State Conference loss of the year, 6-3.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Barry 6, Lynn 3
Records: #2 Barry (17-1, 7-0 SSC), #8 Lynn (17-3, 5-1 SSC)
Location: Perper Tennis Complex | Boca Raton, Fla.
All-time Series: Barry leads 30-27
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• The Bucs got on the board first with an 8-3 win at No. 3 doubles.
• Laalej and Florian Clemares responded valiantly at No. 1 doubles, tying the match at 1-1 with an 8-6 upset over the fourth-ranked pair in the nation (Ahmed Triki/Pierre Montrieul).
• The Blue and White were in the driver's seat at the second doubles flight with a 5-2 advantage but couldn't hold off Barry's 25^th-ranked tandem in an 8-6 setback.
• In singles, straight-set victories at three, four, five and six clinched the match for the visiting team.
• Laalej and Jean-Baptiste Mateo were not going down without a fight however, taking their opponents to third-set super breakers at the top two positions.
• Fifth-ranked Mateo, taking on 26^th-ranked Montrieul at No. 2, lost the opening set and was down 4-1 in the second but mounted an incredible comeback for a 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 10-6 triumph.
• At the top flight, sixth-ranked Laalej vs. second-ranked Triki was the match of the afternoon. The two split a pair of 7-5 sets before Laalej took the breaker and the victory, 10-8.

• Mateo remains undefeated in singles and improves to 20-0 on the year. He is the first 20-win Fighting Knight since Dennis Riegraf finished the 2007 season with a 22-2 record. 
• Lynn upset Barry in last year's SSC semifinals.
• It was the first loss for Lynn in 16 matches, dating back to Feb. 17.
• Barry has four nationally-ranked singles players and two ranked doubles pairs.
• With Lynn and Saint Leo each having a league loss under their belts, Barry clinches the 2017 SSC regular season championship.
• Barry swept the SSC regular season titles this year, with the Bucs also clinching on the women's side with a win over the Fighting Knights last week.

UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights wrap up the regular season on the road next weekend at Saint Leo with 3 p.m. match on Friday, April 14.