SLU finishes their season at the Atlantic 10 conference tennis tournament with a close loss to first-round opponents, Fordham Rams. Last Friday the 13th did not bode well for the Billikens in Mason, Ohio, netting them a 3-4 defeat in singles and a sweeping 0-3 defeat from the doubles teams.

Sophmores Patrick Kella and Vuk Poledica defeated their opponents in their singles matches along with Junior Drew Feder.

Kella defeated his opponent, Mike Puntillo, in a 6-2, 6-1 Victory. Poledica finished with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Peder Gram, and Feder defeated J.J. Tauil in back-to-back 6-2 victories.

Though this marks the end of an average 7-13 season, SLU has high prospects for its young team. Only graduating one senior this year, Dave Welkener, the Billikens have an optimistic outlook for the future.

Next year Seniors Drew Feder and Bobby Kidera will hopefully lead the five other sophomores and one freshman to the final round in next year’s A-10 tournament.

While the SLU men’s tennis team is out of the tournament, there is still hope for the women’s team. They are playing Fordham this Thursday, April 19 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

With a current 11-9 record, hopes are high for the women’s tennis team. With seniors Jenny Nalepa and Kasia Tomalak leading a team of primarily freshman and sophomores, with one junior thrown in, there is an optimist outlook for the young team.