SALISBURY, Md. - The No. 12 Salisbury University men's tennis team suffered another setback to a nationally ranked team as the Sea Gulls dropped a tightly contested 5-4 match to visiting No. 16 Washington & Lee University on Monday. The loss is the second in a row to a nationally ranked team, in as many days, and the third loss in the last four matches played.

Salisbury (15-4), ranked No. 11 in the Atlantic South region, fell behind early against Washington & Lee (13-4), ranked No. 6 in the region, as the Generals led 2-1 after doubles' play. The Sea Gulls won at first doubles as senior Brendan Kincaid and sophomore Scott Burtzlaff, ranked No. 11 in the region, beat W&L's top pair of Jamie McCardell and Tim Ross, 8-3. The Generals rallied back with wins at second and third doubles. Nat Estes and Seth Feibelman beat Salisbury junior Matt Nicholson and sophomore Evan Thomas, 8-4, at second doubles. Sophomore Marcus Robinson and freshman Andrew Nottage could not pull out a win at third doubles as they fell to Alex Brooke and Stuart Sanford, 5-8.

The Sea Gulls knotted the match at two apiece as Burtzlaff won 6-4, 6-4 at No. 3 singles over W&L's Brent Meyers. The tied score didn't last for long as Washington & Lee won back-to-back points at fifth and sixth singles to take a 4-2 lead heading into the final three singles' matches.  Salisbury inched back with a hard earned point at No. 4 singles won by Thomas against McCardell, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3). W&L clinched the match with a victory at No. 2 singles as Estes, ranked No. 22 in the region, took down Nicholson, No. 10 in the region, in three sets 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. Kincaid, ranked No. 13 in the region, won at first singles 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) over Ross, ranked No. 11 in the region.

The Sea Gulls will now turn their attention to the 2008 Capital Athletic Conference tournament where SU is the top-seed. Salisbury received a first round bye and will host the winner between Villa Julie College and St. Mary's (Md.) College on Friday afternoon in the conference semifinals.