Finishing its spring trip on a positive note, the 10th-ranked Middlebury men's tennis team defeated North Carolina Wesleyan Sunday morning in the finale of the Emory Invitational at the Woodruff Physical Education Center. With the victory, the Panthers concluded their swing through Georgia with a 6-2 record. Middlebury returns to the courts Friday with a home match against 18th-ranked Gustavus Adolphus at 3:00 p.m.

The Panthers took a 2-1 lead after doubles against the Battling Bishops. The #1 match was the first to finish with the 24th-ranked Panther tandem of Alex Johnston and Andrew Lebovitz falling to Peter Hviid and Mikhail Konnov, 8-5. In the third flight, Middlebury knotted the match at 1-1 with an 8-5 victory from Ari Smolyar and Peter Heidrich over Philipp Vylegzhanin and Ben Tolhurst.

At second doubles, the nation's top-ranked team of Brantner Jones and Palmer Campbell gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead headed to singles via an 8-6 decision over Eduardo Ugalde and Elias Kerem.  

During singles' action, Middlebury picked up five of the six points, each coming in straight sets. Smolyar moved up a spot and cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 victory at #4 against Ugalde, while Jackson Frons also moved up one flight and eased past Tolhurst (6-2, 6-2).

Johnston kept the Middlebury momentum rolling, and secured the deciding fifth team point via a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Konnov at #1. Courtney Mountifield gave the Panthers a 6-1 lead with a 6-2, 6-4 win against Hviid in the third flight, while Zach Bruchmiller jumped into the Panther lineup at #6 and posted a 7-5, 6-2 win over Vylegzhanin.

North Carolina Wesleyan's (7-7) lone point in singles came from Kerem at #2 in three sets against Jones (6-4, 3-6, 10-5).