Atlanta, Ga. - After posting a 5-3 victory over Washington & Lee in Thursday's first round action of the NCAA D-III Tournament, the North Carolina Wesleyan men's tennis team fell to 4th-ranked Emory University by a 5-1 score in Friday's second round. While the team's season may have ended, a pair of Bishop players will continue play in the singles and doubles competition of the 2013 NCAA Division III Championships, which are slated to begin in Kalamazoo, Mich. on May 23rd.

Versus Washington & Lee, the Bishops avenged a late-March loss to the Generals with a 5-3 win. Freshmen Johan Ljungdahl and Marcus Pola secured NCWC's lone point in doubles with an 8-5 win at the #3 seed, while Artsiom Prostak tied the score a 2-2 with a straight-set win at #2 singles.

Freshman Mikhail Konnov and Pola proceeded to put Wesleyan on top 4-2 after cruising to victories at #5 and #6, respectively, but the Generals pulled to within one with a win at #4.  Junior Robert Kjellberg, however, clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-3 win at the top seed, setting up a second round match-up with host Emory.

Against the Eagles, the Bishops again fell behind 2-1 in doubles play. Emory earned 8-5 and 8-6 wins at #2 and #3, but Kjellberg and Prostak were able to battle out a 9-8 (7-3) win at the top slot. Unfortunately, Emory was able to clinch the match with straight-set singles wins at #3, #4 and #6. The other three singles matches all featured 7-6 scores in their opening sets and were left unfinished.

The defeat leaves Wesleyan with a 15-10 record on the year, with seven of those losses coming against teams that are currently ranked in the top-10 nationally.

While the team's season may have ended, a pair of Bishop players will continue play in the singles and doubles competition of the 2013 NCAA Division III Championships. Both Kjellberg and Prostak earned singles bids, and the duo will also be teaming to compete doubles play. The individual championships consist of 32 singles players and 16 doubles teams. The selection of teams and individuals for the championships is based on won-lost record, strength of schedule and eligibility/availability of student-athletes.

Please continue to check www.ncwcsports.com for updated times and opponents as two of our Bishops continue pursuit of the program's first National Championship!