FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- Despite an excellent Sunday afternoon for Eric Shulman and Gian Heyer, the Christopher Newport men's tennis team lost a frustrating 5-4 decision to Swarthmore in a match of regionally ranked teams.

The Garnet Tide, from near Philadelphia, pulled out the victory when Swarthmore No. 3 player Maxwell Bressman outlasted Garrett Widing 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 to break a 4-4 tie on a chilly day at the University of Mary Washington.

Swarthmore was eighth in last week's Atlantic South Region rankings, while the Captains were 10th. Both are out of the nation's top 32 in NCAA Division III but aren't far away from cracking the list.

Widing was two points from the match while serving at 5-4, 30-all in the second set, but Bressman rallied for a victory as Swarthmore bounced back from a 7-2 loss to Mary Washington on Saturday.

Heyer and Matt King were impressive as the day began in their first appearance at No. 1 doubles, beating Stephen Youngblood and Zak Kelm at 8-4.

Shulman and Nelson gave the Captains a 2-1 lead with an 8-5 victory at No. 2 doubles.

Shulman's 6-3, 6-3 victory gave CNU another crucial team point, but Swarthmore -- often returning numerous balls back in play and making excellent "gets" -- won in straight sets at positions 4, 5 and 6 to grab a 4-3 advantage.

Heyer, playing No. 2, overcame a 5-2 deficit in the second set to defeat Kelm 6-2, 7-5 and square the match at 4. But Bressman's victory, provided on the strength of numerous balls he hit close to the lines in the third set, enabled the Garnet Tide to prevail.

CNU was missing the services of Joey Manilla, who turned his ankle during a match Friday. King, citing a lingering shoulder injury, did not play in singles despite originally being slated to compete at No. 4 -- where he won in the Captains' 7-2 win Saturday over Division I Norfolk State.

The Captains will return to action Saturday at home against another challenging foe, Washington and Lee. W&L, the defending Old Dominion Athletic Conference champion and preseason favorite, is ranked seventh in the South Atlantic and is tied for 30th nationally.

SWARTHMORE 5, CNU 4
Doubles:
1. Gian Heyer-Matt King (CNU) d. Stephen Youngblood-Zak Kelm 8-4;
2. Dusty Nelson-Eric Shulman (CNU) d. Maxwell Bressman-Max Kaye 8-5;
3. Seth Udelson-Anthony Collard (S) d. Kyle Tobin-Garrett Widing 8-3.
Exhibition: Lorenzo Sison-Robbie Wagner (CNU) d. Preston Poon-Malik Mubeen 8-3.

Singles:
1. Shulman (CNU) d. Youngblood 6-3, 6-3;
2. Heyer (CNU) d. Kelm 6-2, 7-5;
3. Bressman (S) d. Widing 4-6, 7-5, 6-2;
4. Kaye (S) d. Nelson 6-3, 6-4;
5. Poon (S) d. Sison 6-3, 6-2;
6. Collard (S) d. Wagner 6-3, 6-1.