BENTONVILLE, ARK. – The East Central University men's tennis team finished as the 2014 Great American Conference Runner-Up after falling to Ouachita Baptist, 5-2, in the championship match at Memorial Park Tennis Courts.

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The Tigers (9-10) had advanced to the championship match for the third-straight season, with a 5-2 win over Harding in the semifinals April 18.

"I am proud of effort that the men's and women's tennis teams gave this season," said interim head coach Justin Graham.  "Every player fought through every match to the very last point all season and it showed in how well the competed this weekend at the GAC Championships."

ECU fell behind 1-2 after the doubles matches, with junior Nate Kipping and freshman Stefan Schodlbauer earning the point with an 8-2 win over Andre Stefano and Nathan Street at No. 3 doubles.

Junior Max DeJuan and Marc Fillat fought hard for a second point in doubles, but fell 8-9 (2-7).

Schodlbauer tied the match at two, as the first singles match to finish.  Schodlbauer defeated Street 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 doubles.

OBU took a 2-3 lead with a win at No. 2 singles over DeJuan and then earned a win at No. 1 singles over Fillat  to put the match within one point (2-4). 

The Tigers were up 1-0 at No. 3 singles with senior Julian Caminos also holding a lead in the second set.  ECU's Kipping  was also up in the second set at No. 6 singles when OBU earned the final point of the match at No. 4 singles with a 6-3, 7-5 win over senior Andrew Cabato.