The Binghamton University men’s tennis team’s rough start to the season continued this weekend with a pair of close losses, this time to No. 45 Columbia University and unranked St. John’s University.

After four losses to open the year, and a 4-3 loss to No. 73 Cornell University in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Indoor Championship Final, the team was looking to rebound with a win this weekend.

On Friday, No. 68 Binghamton (2-7) took the top three singles matches in straight sets, but was unable to get a single win in the lower three matches or the doubles point against the Columbia Lions (4-4).

During the match, the doubles point was tied up, with the first and third doubles matches splitting, and the score in the second spot even at six sets apiece. Senior Arnav Jain and junior Alexandre Haggai were unable to hold off Columbia’s Cyril and Tizian Bucher and dropped the match by a score of 8-6.

In the singles matches, the top three spots each had big wins, much like in the ECAC Final against Cornell. Senior and No. 81-ranked Sven Vloedgraven handled his opponent, Haig Schneiderman, by a score of 6-4, 6-1 to improve to 17-7 overall and 6-2 in duals. Arnav Jain and Alexandre Haggai both got big wins as well, each coming in straight sets. The team’s weakness came through in the lower three spots, equally reminiscent of last weekend’s Cornell match, as Binghamton dropped all three matches, unable to seal a win and losing the match by a score of 4-3.

On Saturday, the Bearcats continued their tour of New York City with a match against unranked St. John’s University (4-1). Vloedgraven and Jain helped secure two doubles victories that won the doubles point, even though the three-spot match was dropped.

In the singles matches, however, the early season futility of the lower spot matches continued. Vloedgraven defeated Asaf Honig in straight sets to improve his overall record to 18-7, 7-2 in duals, and picked up his seventh win in a row. Jain also won in straight sets, defeating Mike Lampa to bring his overall record to 13-7, 8-1 in duals. However, even with the doubles point and strong victories in the one and two spots, the Bearcats dropped the match 4-3, losing each of their 3 through 6 singles matches.

After a historically strong season a year ago, the Bearcats have been unable to pick up any momentum this season. Outside the ECAC Indoor Championship last weekend, the team has been unable to pick up a single win. While Vloedgraven and Jain continue to dominate, the 4 through 6 spots have gone 2-25 thus far this season. All of their last three losses, including the ECAC Final, have been lost by a score of 4-3. In both the losses to Cornell and to Columbia, the team won its top three singles matches, and its 4 through 6 spots have not won a single match since the ECAC quarterfinal win over Yale on Feb. 19. It will be hard for the ‘Cats to revive the dominance they had last year that led them to a record-breaking 25-2 record.

Next weekend, the Bearcats will try again to get their season on the right path in matches against University of North Carolina-Wilmington and Troy.