Box Score CARY, N.C. – The Norfolk State men's tennis team dropped a heartbreaker, 4-3, against Howard on Thursday in the team's first match of the MEAC Tennis Roundup.
 
The Spartans lost doubles, which wound up becoming the deciding point in the match. The teams split singles play 3-3.
 
Federico Rebecchini and Adam Kaczmarek combined for the Spartans' lone win in doubles, defeating Justin Cadeu and Marcel Dawson 6-3 at the top position. Boris Lunin and Hugo Massoni Lena dropped a tight battle with Daniel Dunac and Gabe Knowles, after Roosevelt Brown III and Ibrahim Abbas fell 6-0 against Hassimiyou Dieng and Pierce Westbrook.
 
Norfolk State responded well in singles play, starting with a 6-1, 6-0 win at the No. 6 slot by Abbas over Westbrook. Knowles defeated Hinton 6-0, 6-0 at the No. 5 position, putting Howard ahead 2-1 in the match.
 
Dawson took down Massoni Lena 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2 singles, but Rebecchini responded with a 6-2, 6-3 win at the top position against Cadeu.
 
Rebechinni and Kaczmarek both went 2-0 on the day, with the latter defeating Dunac in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 .
 
The deciding match was a marathon battle at the No. 3 position. After earning MEAC Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week honors, Lunin nearly kept his hot streak going, but ultimately fell to Dieng 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
 
The Spartans return to the court on Friday to face Coppin State at 12 p.m.