Ball State University Athletics
Saturday, February 7
Muncie, Ind.
12 pm
Ball State University
vs
Cleveland State University
Photo by: Madeline Howell
Ball State Men’s Tennis Falls in 4-3 Heartbreaker to Cleveland State
February 07, 2026 | Men's Tennis
MUNCIE, Ind. — The Ball State men's tennis team (3-3) dropped a narrow 4-3 decision to Cleveland State (5-3) on Saturday afternoon at the First Serve Muncie indoor facility.
In a match that came down to the final singles court, the Vikings managed to edge out the Cardinals in a repeat of last season's closely contested finish.
'"The Cards fought valiantly in singles but fell short," Ball State head men's tennis coach Gene Orlando said. "We have to improve our doubles so we can go up 1-0 instead of down 0-1. So tough to win four out of six singles against a good team."
Cleveland State gained the early advantage by securing the doubles point. The Vikings' top pairing of Lincoln Battle and Carl Gedlitschka, recently named the Horizon League Doubles Team of the Week, continued their strong form with a victory on the primary court. While Ball State remained competitive across the remaining matches, Cleveland State's consistency at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots allowed them to take a 1-0 lead heading into singles.
The Cardinals fought back in singles play, securing three victories to keep the match deadlocked until the final moments. Andrei Caragea and Drew Hayward continued their consistent performance at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, both defeating their opponents in straight sets.
At the No. 4 position, freshman Zack Kimelman bounced back in a three-set thriller, taking the final two sets 6-4, 6-4 against Maxime Aremon. Despite the surge, Jacks Lancaster fell in a grueling battle on the top court to Cleveland State's No. 1 player (6-4, 3-6, 4-6).
The Ball State men's tennis team returns to action this Sunday for an in-state rivalry match against Butler in Indianapolis. First serve is set for 1 p.m. ET.
In a match that came down to the final singles court, the Vikings managed to edge out the Cardinals in a repeat of last season's closely contested finish.
'"The Cards fought valiantly in singles but fell short," Ball State head men's tennis coach Gene Orlando said. "We have to improve our doubles so we can go up 1-0 instead of down 0-1. So tough to win four out of six singles against a good team."
Cleveland State gained the early advantage by securing the doubles point. The Vikings' top pairing of Lincoln Battle and Carl Gedlitschka, recently named the Horizon League Doubles Team of the Week, continued their strong form with a victory on the primary court. While Ball State remained competitive across the remaining matches, Cleveland State's consistency at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots allowed them to take a 1-0 lead heading into singles.
The Cardinals fought back in singles play, securing three victories to keep the match deadlocked until the final moments. Andrei Caragea and Drew Hayward continued their consistent performance at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, both defeating their opponents in straight sets.
At the No. 4 position, freshman Zack Kimelman bounced back in a three-set thriller, taking the final two sets 6-4, 6-4 against Maxime Aremon. Despite the surge, Jacks Lancaster fell in a grueling battle on the top court to Cleveland State's No. 1 player (6-4, 3-6, 4-6).
The Ball State men's tennis team returns to action this Sunday for an in-state rivalry match against Butler in Indianapolis. First serve is set for 1 p.m. ET.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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