ELON, N.C. – In a hotly-contested Colonial Athletic Association match, the William & Mary men's tennis team dropped a back-and-forth 5-2 decision to Elon on Saturday afternoon. The Phoenix (3-5) won a close doubles point with a tiebreaker win at the second post, before holding back a Tribe (3-4) rally in singles. Five of the six singles tilts went to three sets, including a trio of Elon wins. 

Juniors Christian Cargill and Alec Miller paired together for the first time this season and gave W&M the early lead in doubles with a 6-4 win over Salvador Mijares and Taylor Foote at the No. 3 post. After Elon evened doubles with a win at No. 1, the initial point of the match came down to a tiebreaker at the second spot. The Phoenix pair of Chris Humphreys and Petar Tomic outlasted senior Addison Appleby and sophomore Tristan Bautil, 7-6 (6), to secure a 1-0 advantage.
 
After Elon increased its lead to 2-0 with a straight-sets win at No. 4, the balance of the match came down to three-set affairs at the other five positions. Senior Damon Niquet and sophomore Michael Ruamthong got W&M on the board with victories at the No. 5 and No. 6 posts, respectively. Niquet claimed his team-leading eighth win of the year, dispatching of Felipe Osses-Konig, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, at No. 5. Ruamthong won his second-straight dual-match, upending Louis Rico in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. The Tribe sophomore ran his season mark to 7-2.
 
The Phoenix posted three-set wins at the top three positions in securing the team victory. At No. 3, Appleby jumped out to a set advantage, taking the first from Mijares, 6-4. The Elon sophomore answered with narrow 6-4 triumphs in the second and third sets to post the come-from-behind win.
 
Felipe Sarrasague and Mario Paccini held on for three-set wins at No. 1 and No. 2 for Elon, despite comeback attempts from senior Aidan Talcott and Cargill. After Sarrasague won a close 6-4 first set at the top spot, Talcott answered with a commanding 6-1 win in the second. The reigning CAA Rookie of the Year responded to down the Tribe senior, 6-2, in the third set.
 
At No. 2, Cargill dropped the opening set to Paccini, 6-4, but bounced back with a 6-3 victory in the second. The Elon sophomore held on for a close 6-4 triumph in the third set.
 
The Tribe heads to Winthrop on Sunday for an 11 a.m. match. W&M recently added a match to the 2017 schedule against No. 17-ranked Illinois on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, at 11 a.m., in Charlottesville, Va.
 
Elon 5, William & Mary 2
Singles
No. 1 – Felipe Sarrasague (Elon) def. Aidan Talcott (W&M) – 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
No. 2 – Mario Paccini (Elon) def. Christian Cargill (W&M) – 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
No. 3 – Salvador Mijares (Elon) def. Addison Appleby (W&M) – 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
No. 4 – Petar Tomic (Elon) def. Alec Miller (W&M) – 6-0, 6-4
No. 5 – Damon Niquet (W&M) def. Felipe Osses-Konig (Elon) – 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
No. 6 – Michael Ruamthong (W&M) def. Louis Rico (Elon) – 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
Finishing Order: 4, 6, 1, 3*, 2, 5
 
Doubles
No. 1 – Sarrasague/Paccini (Elon) def. Talcott/Newman (W&M) – 6-3
No. 2 – Humphreys/Tomic (Elon) def. Bautil/Appleby (W&M) – 7-6 (6)
No. 3 – Cargill/Miller (W&M) def. Mijares/Foote (Elon) – 6-4
Finishing Order: 3, 1, 2*