HUNTINGTON, Ind. -- Amid mid-90 degree temperatures the Indiana Wesleyan University men’s tennis team traveled to Huntington (Ind.) and earned a 5-4 win in Crossroads League action.

“We were minus one player already and then we had to deal with the heat,” said Indiana Wesleyan head coach Keith Ruberg. “This was a much needed win and the guy battled through the heat.”

Indiana Wesleyan gained a 2-1 lead after doubles matches. Leonard Mathews and Gavin White won No. 2-doubles by the slimmest of margins 9-8 and Alex Hornett and Kamen Tabor pulled out an 8-5 victory in No. 3 action. The top team of Kyle Johnson and Brandon Dubuque lost an 8-2 decision.

The Wildcats and Foresters split the six singles matches to secure the IWU victory. All three wins came in the bottom half of the lineup. White won 6-1, 6-1 in No. 4-singles, Daniel Smith cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 5, and Tabor won 6-3, 6-2 to earn the point in No. 6-singles.

Johnson dropped a 6-1, 6-3 match in the top position and Mathews lost 6-4, 7-5 in No. 3-singles. Dubuque won his first set 6-4 in No. 2-singles but retired in the second set due to illness.

Indiana Wesleyan improves to 4-2 this season and 3-1 in Crossroads League matches. Huntington drops to 4-2 overall and suffers its first league loss and is now 4-1.

The Wildcats will travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan at the end of the week for the ITA Midwest Regional Tournament. Play begins on Thursday and will run through Saturday.