INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Despite a late start on Wednesday night it was well worth the wait for the Indiana Wesleyan University men's tennis team.

Indiana Wesleyan defeated Marian (Ind.) University 5-2 to clinch at least a share of the Crossroads League regular season championship and will be the No. 1-seed in the Crossroads League Tournament. Indiana Wesleyan finishes league play with a 7-1 record. Grace (Ind.) is currently 6-1 and can earn a share of the league title with a win versus Saint Francis (Ind.) on Saturday. But the IWU victory over Grace on September 8 wraps up the top seed for Indiana Wesleyan regardless of the outcome for Grace.

Indiana Wesleyan and Marian entered the contest tonight tied atop the league at 6-1. The match was originally scheduled for 3 p.m. today but was delayed until 8 p.m. as it was moved indoors to the UIndy Tennis Center due to rain.

The Wildcats got off to a quick start by taking two of three points in doubles competitions. Kyle Johnson and Alex McMahan claimed an 8-4 win in No. 1-doubles while Leonard Mathews and Brandon Dubuque won 8-6 in No. 2-doubles. Brooks Ayers and Daniel Stoddard took an 8-2 loss in No. 3 play.

Indiana Wesleyan then won three of the first four singles matches that were completed to secure the 5-2 team victory.

Johnson cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 victory in No. 1-singles, Mathews won a tightly contested No. 2-singles match by scores of 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, while Dubuque earned a 6-2, 6-3 win in No. 3-singles. McMahan fell 4-6, 4-6 in No. 4-singles. Stoddard and Ayers did not finish their matches.

Indiana Wesleyan will play a pair of non-league matches this weekend before opening up the Crossroads League Tournament on October 2.