BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UNCG men's tennis team fell on the road against conference foe Samford, 5-2, Friday at the Samford Tennis Complex.

The Spartans fall to 4-6, 0-2 in the SoCon and Samford improves to 6-6 opening 1-0 in conference play.  

In doubles, UNCG took a 1-0 lead after winning two of three doubles matches.  Junior Daniel Mack (Lakeland, Fla./Lakeland) and senior Cameron Smith (Jamestown, N.C./Ragsdale) defeated Fares Kilani and Ednardo Lourido, 8-3, at No. 3 doubles.

At No. 2 doubles, redshirt sophomore William Albright (Greensboro, N.C./Grimsley) and sophomore Warren Bryan (Greensboro, N.C./The Early College at Guilford/Longwood) lost to Samford's Austin Akers and Henry Moore, 8-5. 

Freshman Connor Thompson (Atlanta, Ga./Holy Innocents) and senior Randy Phillips (Snellville, Ga./Brookwood) clinched the doubles point with a 8-5 win against Trey Carter and Justin Ghavami, at No. 1 doubles.

In singles, the Bulldogs won five of six singles matches to earn a comeback 5-2 win against the Spartans.

Lourido tied the match at 1-1 with a 6-2, 2-1 retired win against junior Gaston Murray (Lake Worth, Fla./Park Vista) at No. 5 singles. Jake Faundez defeated Albright in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 6 singles. 

Ghavami took down Smith to clinch the match at No. 4 singles, 6-4, 6-3. Phillips earned UNCG's lone singles win at No. 1 singles against Kilani, 6-3, 7-5. 

Carter earned a straight sets win against Thompson, 6-4, 6-4 at No. 3 singles. In the final match, Mack lost against Akers, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2 singles.

The Blue and Gold return home to face Richmond Sunday, March 15 at noon at the UNCG Tennis Courts. 

Follow all the action about the 2014-15 UNCG men's tennis team on www.UNCGSpartans.com or on twitter @UNCGMTennis.