MOBILE, Ala. - Another memorable season came to an end on Tuesday for Grace's men's tennis team.
The Lancers lost 4-3 to No. 22 Loyola in the opening round of the 2026 NAIA National Championships.
The match came down to the final court and the final set.
Loyola grabbed the first advantage by winning the doubles' point, taking the matches at No. 1 and 2 doubles.
Andreas Polichronopoulos and Manuel Marques won 6-2 at No. 3 doubles.
The singles' matches were fiercely contested. Polichronopoulos was a 6-3, 6-2 victor at No. 1 singles, and Benjamin Rahine won 6-2, 6-4 at No. 2. Mahefa Rakotomalala also fought his way to a 6-4, 6-3 victory at No. 6.
Loyola produced wins at No. 3 and 4, setting the stage for a dramatic finale at No. 5 singles.
Stergios Papadopoulos pulled out the opening set 6-4 before narrowly losing 7-5 in the second set. His opponent Luca Abati edged ahead in the final set and held on for a 6-4 win, clinching the match for the Wolfpack.
The Lancers end the season with a 16-7 record, including 8-1 in Crossroads League play. Grace won the CL Tournament championship for the fourth consecutive season.
MATCH RESULTS
