PELLA — The Central College men's tennis team finished on the wrong side of a 4-3 match against Loras College Friday night.
           
Central (4-16, 3-4 American Rivers Conference) lost all three doubles matches, ceding the point to Loras (11-9, 4-2 conference). The Dutch also dropped the first two singles matches to find itself in a 3-0 deficit.
           
The top of the singles lineup battled back to give Central a chance. Bodi Kortz (freshman, Wormerveer, Netherlands/St. Michael College) was first to win with a 6-1, 6-4 victory at No. 1.
           
Within four minutes of each other, Alex Slaymaker (junior, Geneseo, Ill.) and Ernest Alvarez Chedzoy (freshman, Kerrville, Texas, Tivy HS) tied the match with wins at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. Slaymaker won 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 and Alvarez Chedzoy won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3,
           
The match hinged on No. 4 singles where Gavin Jablonski (junior, Marshalltown) won the first set 6-0 but dropped the match 0-6, 7-5, 6-2.
           
Central hosts the University of Dubuque at 10 a.m. Saturday.