GOSHEN, Ind. - The men's tennis season ended on Monday with a 3-4 defeat to Indiana Wesleyan in the Crossroads League Quarterfinals at the Stan King Tennis Complex. The Maple Leafs, marred by injuries as the season went on, were the three seed while the Wildcats were the six seed. Goshen finished 12-9 with a 7-2 regular season record in the Crossroads League.

The Wildcats won at #2 doubles 6-3, but the Leafs answered with a 6-4 win from Filippo Gallo and Paulo Santiago at #3 doubles. Gallo was 17-5 in doubles this season and Santiago was 17-4. It came down to #1 doubles, which IWU won 7-4 in a tiebreaker.

Gallo started singles play with a one-sided 6-1, 6-1 win to tie up the match. Michail Klinkov reestablished the Wildcats' lead at #2 singles, and Santiago answered back for the Leafs with a straight sets win at #5 singles. Matheus Lima gave Indiana Wesleyan another edge with a #1 singles win, yet Garrett Stoltzfus responded this time at #3 singles.

It came down to #4 singles, which went to a third-set tiebreaker. Mahmut Gumeric came out strong with a 6-1 first set, but Timo Fischer answered with a 6-4 second set to force a third. Fischer edged out a 7-6 (7-1) tiebreak to clinch the match and earn the win for the Wildcats.

Indiana Wesleyan came back with vengeance after Goshen had just defeated them at their home courts on Saturday, 4-2, in the final regular season match of the season. "IWU played a lot more loose - a little bit more free today," said head coach Jon Bemisderfer. "We have four freshmen out of the six that were in the lineup. And so for them to be in that moment dealing with all the adversities they've had all season to still at the end have a chance to win is incredible. And as disappointing as it is, it's very encouraging for what I see coming."

Both teams have won three of the previous six matchups between the schools.