CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Playing the reigning national champions on the road, the William and Mary men's tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to No. 4-ranked Virginia on Sunday afternoon. Seniors John Banks and Ben Hoogland narrowly missed leading the Tribe to the doubles point against the Cavaliers with a win at the No. 3 position, and freshman Damon Niquet led the way in singles with a victory at No. 5.  W&M saw its three-match win streak come to a close as it fell to 13-8 on the year, while Virginia won its sixth straight and improved to 15-2.

For the first time in 14 matches, the Tribe dropped the doubles point, but not without a fight against the top-five Cavaliers. After UVa took the early lead with a victory at No. 1, Hoogland and Banks evened things with an 8-5 win over Ryan and Justin Shane at the No. 3 post. It marked the ninth straight win for the duo, which improved to 19-12 on the year. The victory was also the 70th career doubles win for Banks, moving him into 12th on the Tribe's career doubles wins list.

The doubles point came down to a tight affair at No. 2 between the Virginia team of Mac Styslinger and Luca Corinteli against the Tribe tandem of senior Ben Guthrie and freshman Addison Appleby. The match was even at six apiece, before the Cavalier pair won the final two games in clinching the initial point of the match for the home team.

Niquet picked up a straight-sets victory over Harrison Richmond to improve to a perfect 11-0 at the No. 5 singles post. The Tribe rookie dropped just one game in winning the opening set, 6-1, but found himself in a 4-2 hole to start the second set. Niquet reeled off four straight games, breaking Richmond in the 10th game to pick up the 6-4 triumph and his fifth straight victory. The triumph improved Niquet's team-best singles ledger to 19-9. Richmond was ranked as high as No. 51 nationally this season and was an alternate for the 2013 NCAA Singles Championship.

Virginia picked up wins at the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 6 positions to clinch the team triumph. Luca Corinteli, who is ranked No. 106 nationally in singles, defeated Banks, 6-3, 6-0, at No. 6, before No. 24-ranked Alex Domijan downed Hoogland, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 1. Justin Shane clinched the Cavalier victory with a 6-0, 6-2 win over junior Will Juggins at No. 2.

W&M returns to action when it closes out the home portion of its regular season schedule with a Sunday doubleheader on April 6. The Tribe faces UMBC at 10 a.m., before hosting Morgan State at 4
p.m. Both matches will be played at the Millie West Tennis Facility, weather permitting.

No. 1 – #24 Alex Domijan (UVa) def. Ben Hoogland (W&M) – 6-2, 6-2

No. 2 – Justin Shane (UVa) def. Will Juggins (W&M) – 6-0, 6-2

No. 3 – J.C. Aragone (UVa) def. Addison Appleby (W&M) – 6-4, 6-3

No. 4 – #76 Jordan Daigle (UVa) def. Scott Huang (W&M) – 6-3, 6-4

No. 5 – Damon Niquet (W&M) def. Harrison Richmond (UVa) – 6-1, 6-4

No. 6 – #106 Luca Corinteli (UVa) def. John Banks (W&M) – 6-3, 6-0

Finishing Order:  6, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

No. 1 – Domijan/Richmond (UVa) def. Chaffee/Juggins (W&M) – 8-4

No. 2 – Styslinger/Corinteli (UVa) def. Appleby/Guthrie (W&M) – 8-6

No. 3 – Hoogland/Guthrie (W&M) def. R. Shane/J. Shane (UVa) – 8-5

Finishing Order:  1, 3, 2*