OLEAN, N.Y. – The Niagara men’s tennis team was clipped by the Bucknell Bison, 4-3, on Saturday.

“The guys had a tough loss today,” head coach Anthony Nguyen said. “I know this group is always going to go out and fight and compete like crazy. Today, we did a nice job of starting matches fast, but a poor job of finishing matches.”

Niagara (4-2) collected the doubles point, but fell in four of the six singles matches.

Olivier Dufour-Coursol and David Raymond defeated Nick Bybel and Josh Katten in No. 1 doubles, 8-3, and Brandon Gallegos and Lorenz Schwojer edged Kelly Morgue and Evan Zimmer, 8-6 in No. 2 doubles.

NU’s lead was short-lived as Bucknell (2-2) tied the game after winning in No. 1 and No. 2 singles.  Dufour-Coursol put NU back up after withstanding Evan Zimmer, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, in No. 3 singles. However, Schwojer lost in three sets to Josh Katten, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, and Kyle Rose defeated Joseph Smithyman in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4 to win the match for the Bison.

The Purple Eagles will play at local rival Buffalo on Friday for their next match.

Bucknell University 4, Niagara University 3
Singles competition
1. Nick Bybel (BUCK) def. Gallegos, Brandon (NIA) 6-1, 6-0
2. Kelly Morgue (BUCK) def. Raymond, David (NIA) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
3. Dufour-Coursol, O. (NIA) def. Evan Zimmer (BUCK) 2-6, 6-4, 6-1
4. Josh Katten (BUCK) def. Schwojer, Lorenz (NIA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-1
5. Lacasse, Mathieu (NIA) def. Jonathan DeFrancesch (BUCK) 7-5, 6-2
6. Kyle Rosen (BUCK) def. Smithyman, Joseph (NIA) 6-0, 6-4

Doubles competition
1. Dufour-Coursol, O./Raymond, David (NIA) def. Nick Bybel/Josh Katten (BUCK) 8-3
2. Gallegos, Brandon/Schwojer, Lorenz (NIA) def. Kelly Morgue/Evan Zimmer (BUCK) 8-6
3. Octavio Canibe/Aidan Lynch (BUCK) def. Lacasse, Mathieu/Smithyman, Joseph (NIA) 8-4