GREENSBORO, N.C. –The UNCG men's tennis team battled but dropped a 4-3 match to Winthrop Saturday at the UNCG Tennis Courts.

The Spartans fall to 4-3 on the season and Winthrop improves to 6-4 with the victory.

In doubles, Winthrop took a 1-0 lead after winning two of three doubles matches. Steven Patrick and Tremayne Mitchell defeated redshirt sophomore William Albright (Greensboro, N.C./Grimsley) and sophomore Warren Bryan (Greensboro, N.C./The Early College at Guilford/Longwood), 8-5.

Freshman Connor Thompson (Atlanta, Ga./Holy Innocents) and senior Randy Phillips (Snellville, Ga./Brookwood) defeated Dylan Comerford and Peter Nagovnak, 8-6 at No. 1 doubles. 

At No. 3 doubles, Michael Chen and Joshua Ryan clinched the doubles point with a 8-7 (7-4) win against freshman James Gray (Jacksonville, Fla./The Oaks School) and Logan Walker (Stuart, Fla./Morningside Academy).

In singles, Comerford gave Winthrop a 2-0 lead after a straight sets win against junior Daniel Mack (Lakeland, Fla./Lakeland), 6-2, 6-1, at No. 2 singles. 

Albright cut the lead to 2-1 after taking down Ryan, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 6 singles. Phillips tied the match with a close 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) victory at No. 1 singles against Mitchell.

The Eagles took a 3-2 lead after Chen defeated Thompson, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 at No. 4 singles. Winthrop clinched the match after Nagovnak defeated Bryan, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 at No. 5 singles.

In the final match, senior Cameron Smith (Jamestown, N.C./Ragsdale) won a third set thriller against Patrick, 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (11-9). Smith won the second set 6-4 and won the third set super tiebreaker 11-9 to claim the third overall point for UNCG.

The Blue and Gold return to face Georgia Southern Sunday, March 8 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.