Box Score The Panther men's tennis team opened the spring portion of its schedule Saturday with a narrow 5-4 NESCAC home setback to #12 Tufts (1-0). The match was played indoors in the Duke Nelson Recreation Center. Middlebury returns to action Sunday with a pair of home contests against Bates at 2:00 p.m. and in-state foe St. Michael's at 5:00 p.m.
 
During doubles play, the Panther duo of Stan Morris and David Vilys gave the hosts a 1-0 lead behind an 8-3 win. The Jumbos recorded an 8-2 victory in the third slot and a narrow 8-6 decision at #2 to take a 2-1 edge heading into singles play.
 
In singles action, the Jumbos went ahead 3-1 following a 6-2, 6-1 win in the second spot. Neel Epstein drew Middlebury to within one (3-2) via a 6-0, 6-2 triumph in the fourth position, before Robby Ward knotted the match at three points apiece behind a 6-3, 7-5 win at the bottom of the lineup. Tufts tallied a straight-set victory at #5 (7-5, 6-2) for a 4-3 lead. 
 
In the closest match of the day at the top spot, Morris dropped the opening set in a tiebreaker (7-6 (4)) but rallied from 4-5 down in the second to even the match with a second-set tiebreaker win (7-6 (8)). Morris dropped the third set and Tufts clinched the fifth team point. Zachary HIlty rebounded after losing the opening set in the third slot, taking the second set and a superbreaker in the third (5-7, 6-2, 10-7) for the final 5-4 score.