NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State men's tennis team came painfully close to a shorthanded victory on Tuesday, falling 4-3 against Hofstra at NSU Tennis Complex.
 
Despite having only five available players, the Spartans nearly pulled off the win.
 
Hofstra won at No. 3 doubles by default, and the teams split the other two doubles matches. Ostap Kovalenko and Jonathan Mahrt Guyou took down Deniz Okyay and Boris Lunin 6-0 at the No. 2 position, before Jakub Solarski and Antoni Pankowski defeated Hideki Matsuoka and Matthew Garcia 6-4 on Court 1.
 
The Pride went ahead 2-0 with a win by default at No. 6 singles, before Kovalenko defeated Okyay 6-2, 7-4 on Court 1.
 
 Pankowski earned another win at the No. 3 slot, this time by opponent retirement. Solarski brought the Spartans within one with a 7-6, 6-4 win over Josh Reynolds on Court 2.
 
Making his first appearance of the afternoon, Frederick McRae came from behind to defeat Matthew Garcia 7-6, 6-3, 1-0 (12-10) in a thrilling battle at the No. 4 position. The triumph tied the match 3-3, but Hofstra's Odani Kaita earned a 6-3, 6-4 win at the No. 5 position to close the day.
 
Norfolk State returns to action on Thursday at North Carolina A&T.
 
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