CLEVELAND – The No. 8 nationally ranked Case Western Reserve University men's tennis team suffered its first loss of the season by a score 6-3 against No. 12 Kenyon College on Friday evening at the Cleveland Racquet Club.

The Spartans drop to 2-1, while Kenyon is now 1-0.

The two teams have played epic matches during the past two seasons. Kenyon won 5-4 in the NCAA Championship Round of 16 on on May 12, 2014, and CWRU won by the same count during the opening round of last season's ITA National Team Indoor Championship on February 21, 2014.

On Friday, the Spartans fell behind, 2-1 after doubles play, with the lone point coming via an 8-6 win at No. 1 by juniors CJ Krimbill (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain) and Louis Stuerke (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) against Peter Hazlett and Robert Turlington.

Early in singles play, the score moved in favor of the Spartans with wins in the first and second positions. Krimbill with a 6-0, 6-0 win versus Wade Heerboth at No. 1 and senior Will Drougas (Roanoke, Va./Salem) with a 6-3, 6-3 victory against Sam Geier at No. 2 were the first to finish putting the Spartans ahead 3-2.

However, losses at No. 3 and No. 4 singles put Kenyon back on top, 4-3, and the Spartans weren't able to rally in three-setters at No. 5 and No. 6.

The Spartans are right back in action tomorrow evening against No. 17 University of Chicago at 6:00 p.m.