INDIANAPOLIS - The top-ranked Columbus State University men's tennis team lost a heartbreaking 4-3 decision to fifth-ranked Barry University in the championship match of the ITA National Indoor Championship on Sunday. The match was held at the UINDY Tennis Center

The loss snapped CSU's (6-1) 39-match regular-season winning streak. It's also the first defeat for the Cougars in ITA National Indoor competition.  

"This is obviously a hard loss to take," commented head coach Evan Isaacs. "It's never easy against a team like Barry because they make you pay for every small mistake. There are things we need to work on and we need to take this opportunity to improve ourselves for the rest of the season."

Barry (4-1) made things difficult from the start for Columbus State as the Buccaneers took the doubles point. BU's second doubles team of Ignasi Forcano and Martin Gutierrez defeated Christian Garay and Tommaso Schold 6-3 before Tim Buttner and Alessandro Giuliato gave Barry the first point of the afternoon after a 6-4 win over Javier Cueto Ramos and Felix Steen at third doubles. The first doubles match between CSU's Alvaro Regalado and Pietro Martinetti and BU's Arnau Rodriguez and Alejandro Gallego was tied at five when play was called.

Columbus State didn't go down without a fight after falling in a 2-0 hole when No. 9 Alejandro Palacios defeated No. 8 Cueto Ramos 6-2, 6-2 at second singles. Schold gave the Cougars their first win of the afternoon following a 6-3, 6-2 win over No. 3 Gallego in the third spot right before No. 1 Regalado evened the score with a 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 25 Giuliato at number one singles.

CSU pulled in front for a moment when Garay completed a 6-4, 6-2 win over Hugo Cazaban at fourth singles. However, the win would be the last for the Cougars as Barry took fifth and sixth singles to secure its first ITA National Indoor title. Forcano was a 6-4, 6-4 winner of No. 36 Martinetti at the fifth position, while Rodriguez won the clincher over Steen 6-4, 6-4 at sixth singles.

UP NEXT
Columbus State will have some time off before returning to action against Barry in a neutral-site contest in Orlando on March 6 at 11 a.m.

RESULTS - (played at the UINDY Tennis Center)
Singles
1. #1 Alvaro Regalado (CSU) def. #25 Alessandro Giuliato (BU) - 6-2, 6-4\
2. #9 Alejandro Palacios (BU) def. #8 Javier Cueto Ramos (CSU) - 6-2, 6-2
3. Tommaso Schold (CSU) def. #3 Alejandro Gallego (BU) - 6-3, 6-2
4. Christian Garay (CSU) def. Hugo Cazaban (BU) - 6-4, 6-2
5. Ignasi Forcano (BU) def. #36 Pietro Martinetti (CSU) - 6-4, 6-4
6. Arnau Rodriguez (BU) def. Felix Steen (CSU) - 6-4, 6-4

Doubles
1. Regalado/Martinetti (CSU) vs. Rodriguez/Gallego (BU) - 5-5, unfinished
2. Forcano/Martin Gutierrez (BU) def. Schold/Garay (CSU) - 6-3
3. Tim Buttner/Giuliato (BU) def.Cueto Ramos/Steen (CSU) - 6-4