KENNESAW, Ga. – A valiant comeback attempt fell just short for Jacksonville State men's tennis in Thursday's 4-3 loss at Kennesaw State. The Gamecocks dropped the doubles point and could not recover in singles play, falling in the winner-take-all showdown in No. 6 singles.
 
The Owls (5-2) impressed early on, racing out the gates to a dominant doubles point. Though Marko Milosavljevic and Zach Murphy were still battling in No. 2 doubles, 6-1 and 6-0 triumphs on the other two courts handed the home team a 1-0 lead. 
 
Jax State (7-5) posted three wins in one-on-one action to put some pressure on KSU. Xavier Sarda Marti cruised in No. 4 singles, 6-3, 6-4, and Ivan Marrero Curbelo downed Kennesaw State's top competitor, Raul Garcia, 6-3, 6-3. Vanja Dobrnjac's three-set comeback on court three (2-6, 6-3, 6-3) had the Red-and-White on the brink of victory, but the Owls claimed a three-set triumph in the final flight to close out the match. 
 
That loss in metro Atlanta ends a four-match winning streak for Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks topped KSU in a thriller last Spring, downing the Owls 5-2 in Jacksonville to tally their first win over them in nine seasons. 
 
The men's tennis team returns home this weekend for three matches at the Jax State Tennis Courts. They will meet in-state foe North Alabama at 2 p.m. Saturday, then host Georgia Southern (10 a.m.) and Wallace State Community College (3 p.m.) on Sunday. Admission is free, and fans unable to attend can follow along with live stats links provided at JaxStateSports.com.
 
To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, follow their Facebook (Jacksonville State Men's Tennis), Instagram (@JaxStateMTEN), and X (@JaxStateMTEN) accounts.