SAULT STE. MARIE - Lake Superior State men's tennis picked up their first team win in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a tight 5-4 triumph over Hillsdale College on Saturday inside the Arbuckle Student Activity Center.

With the match tied 4-4 heading into the final singles slot, senior TJ Myers helped lift the Lakers (5-6, 1-2 GLIAC) to the match win with a 7-6 (2), 6-0 victory over Jerry Hewitt. Myers also teamed with freshman Borja Font in No. 3 doubles for an 8-3 advantage over Zach Rabitoy and Jerry Hewitt.

Myers and Font are now 3-3 as a tandem and 2-1 in GLIAC play.

The Chargers (5-6, 0-3 GLIAC) opened the doubles portion to begin the match, with an 8-2 victory by Dugan Delp and Justin Hyman over Ieuan Lister and Hunter Koster. Koster, a sophomore, made his first appearance of the season after returning from injury.

The Lakers responded with wins in both No. 2 and No. 3 doubles to take a 2-1 lead into singles play. Jake Prime and Luis Valderrama, anchoring the No. 2 doubles slot most of the season, earned a close 9-8 (11) victory over John Ciraci and Gianpiero Placidi to improve their winning streak to eight games. Prime and Valderrama are also 3-0 in GLIAC play thus far.

Hillsdale claimed victory in No. 1, No. 3 and No. 5 singles to draw the match even after the Lakers got wins by Font (6-3, 6-3 over Delp) and Valderrama (5-7, 6-3, 6-2 over Ciraci) in the No. 2 and No. 4 slots, respectively. Hyman opened the comeback for the Chargers with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 over Prime in No. 1 singles to open the individual portion. 

Placidi took Lister to three sets before dispatching him 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the No. 3 singles slot and Rabitoy claimed No. 5 singles 6-2, 6-3 over Miles Monro.

With the entire team match resting on the shoulders of Myers and Hewitt, the pair did not dissappoint during the important sixth singles match. Myers eventually outlasted Hewitt with a craftsman-like approach on his shots to earn the win.

The victory over the up-start Chargers marks the first win in GLIAC play since the 2013-14 season, after going 0-8 last season.

The Lakers welcome Findlay on Sunday at 10 a.m. to cap the weekend. The Oilers enter play with a 9-8 record and 0-3 mark in the GLIAC following a 6-3 loss at Michigan Tech on Saturday.

Admission to Sunday's match and all home events for Laker Tennis is free.