PIKEVILLE, Ky. – In its closest loss of the season, the University of Pikeville men's tennis team fell 5-4 to visiting Bluefield (Va.) on Thursday at the Bob Amos Complex.

The Bears (7-7) will now wrap up the regular season at Noon ET on Friday by hosting Mid-South Conference opponent Georgetown for senior day.

Bluefield (5-7) and Pikeville were tied 2-2 after the Rams took a forfeit at the top singles spot, then UPIKE grabbed wins at the second and third singles spots to take a 4-2 lead.

No. 2-seed Eric Bernabeu outlasted Michael Gutu 6-3, 7-6 (7) and No. 3-seed Juan Reyes got past Fedor Kucakov 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2).

Only needing one more win to take the match, UPIKE ended up falling short at the bottom three singles seeds, starting with Nicolas Rodenbusch losing 6-3, 6-4 to Rodrigo Huarachi at No. 4.

Now with the Bears clinging to a slim 4-3 lead, Bluefield cruised to a pair of 6-0, 6-0 wins at the fifth and sixth singles spots to secure the win.

Reyes and Rodenbusch claimed UPIKE's lone win in doubles, beating Gutu and Huarachi 8-3 at the second seed.

-UPIKE-