ST. LEO, Fla. – The No. 8-ranked Lander men's tennis team fell just short in a battle of perennial national powers on Sunday morning, falling to No. 6-ranked Saint Leo, 4-3. 

Lander (5-2) continued its impressive run of doubles play with a 6-2 win at No. 2 by Eirik Groner and Gabriel Couto and a 6-3 victory from Ozan Cildir and Omar El-Moslemany to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead. 

The Lions (4-3) would respond with wins in four of the six singles flights to clinch the match. Cildir and El-Moslemany each recorded points for Lander, with Cildir winning 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 at No. 2 and El-Moslemany claiming a 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 win at No. 6. 

The Bearcats host Emmanuel on Mar. 12 at the Joe Cabri Tennis Center.