COLUMBUS, Miss. – In its 2025 regular season finale, The W men's tennis made some program history by virtue of its 4-3 victory over regional foe Huntingdon College at the Garrett Courts. The win snapped an 0-for-9 streak for the Owls (2-9) versus the Hawks (4-12), dating back to the 2018-19 season.
 
HC had, previously this season, defeated MUW twice by identical 7-0 scores, as well. But that fact did not deter The W on its Senior Day and gave the Owls a two-match win skein heading into the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference South tournament next week.
 
Interim head coach Brian Merkel was more-than-pleased with his squad's effort. "I'm incredibly proud of the guys for their win today," Merkel said. "They've been working really hard and I'm happy to see their work pay off. We're really excited to have positive momentum headed into the conference tournament."
 
MUW got the match started off on the right foot by winning the doubles point. Despite losing No. 1 doubles, MUW rebounded to take the Nos. 2 and 3 pairs play matches. At No. 2 doubles, the MUW tandem of Jaylen Lewis and Paul Gaines took a 6-3 win over the Hawks' team of Prosser Crow and Clayton Philley.
 
Third doubles was a bit more of a battle, but still won by the Owls' Jasper Poag and Trevor Davis, 6-4.
 
In singles action, Huntingdon won in straight sets at the Nos. 1, 2, and 4 positions, giving them a 3-1 advantage in the team score and needing just one more win to take the match.
 
But you got the feeling that, this time, The W would not be denied.
 
At No. 6 singles, Poag – a native of New Hope - was next off of the court after polishing off HC's Brennan Parks in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.
 
The two remaining matches split sets. At fifth single, Davis dropped set one, 6-4, and then turned the tables on Huntingdon's Griffin Osburn by the same score in winning set two. Davis battled hard to a 10-8 win in the deciding third set to level the team score at 3-3.
 
The lone match still playing – MUW's Lewis and the Hawks' Philley at No. 3 singles – proved a huge test for Lewis. And it was one he passed with flying colors. After being dominated in set one, 6-1, Lewis collected himself and won 7-6 (9-7 tiebreaker) in the second set. He then dispatched of Philley, 10-4, in the pro-set third set to put the "W" in the Owls' column and set off an MUW celebration.
 
"It was an emotional experience," an exhausted Poag, the lone senior for the MUW men, recounted. "And I'm just happy for the team."