BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Covenant men's tennis team nearly rallied from a late-match deficit, but ultimately fell to Birmingham Southern, 5-4, on Saturday at the Dielan Tennis Complex in Birmingham.

Covenant drops to 2-2 on the year.

The Scots fell behind in doubles play, 2-1, but responded well in singles competition.

Cameron Cortman and Paxton Haggerty took wins in the bottom half of the lineup in singles play to keep the Scots in range. Cortman took down Hunter Hoffmeister, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 5 before Haggerty worked a three-set win over Tom Smith, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 at the No. 6 spot.

Trailing 4-3 with two matches left, it was a battle at the No. 1 spot that decided the match. Ben Luke took the first set from Wilbur Dotson, 7-5, but Dotson rallied to win the next two sets by 6-2 scores to earn the win and clinch the match for Birmingham Southern (3-0).

Ethan Gibson closed out the match with a three-set win over Elijah Ingleson 7-5, 6-7, 10-6.

Earlier in doubles play, Solomon Crouch and Austin Dreslinski combined to defeat Jameson Bekaert and Dotson 8-7(2).

UP NEXT

Covenant will travel to Rome, Ga., to face Berry in a non-conference match on Tuesday. First serve is set for 3 p.m.

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