Butler improved to 12-3 on the season with a hard-fought 4-3 win over Ball State Wednesday afternoon at Butler's outdoor courts. The clinching point came from Spencer Lang in the No. 4 singles match.

The Bulldogs dropped the doubles point after the visiting Cardinals took matches on the second and third courts. Butler took straight-set singles wins at the No. 1 and No. 6 spots with wins by Aviv Ben Shabat and Ari Gerstein, respectively. Ball State responded with wins at No. 2 and No. 5.

At that point in the match, Ball State led 3-2, one point from a victory. Mason Dragos needed a 15-13 second-set tiebreaker to win his No. 3 singles match and push the match to the final court.

Lang and Patrick Downs was the final match left to be be completed. Downs took the first set 6-4 before Lang answered with a 6-4 win in the second set. Lang was down 2-4 and 15-40 in the third set, but was able to get that break. Down 0-40 while serving 3-4, Lang was able to pull out that game as well. He took another deuce point for a break to get to 5-4 and then served out the match for the Butler win.

The Bulldogs have now won six straight matches overall and are 7-0 at home this season. Ball State is now 9-8 on the season.

Butler's next match is Saturday against IUPUI. That match has moved to 4 p.m. and is expected to be played outdoors. The Bulldogs' match against Indiana scheduled for Sunday has been postponed until a date later in April. That date will be announced soon.

Doubles

1. Dragos/Lang (Butler) def. L. Andersen/Stutz, 7-5
2. C. Andersen/Carney (BSU) def. Khmiadashvili/Ben Shabat, 6-3
3. M. Guzina/Downs (BSU) def. Gerstein/Woldmoe, 6-2

 
Singles

1. Aviv Ben Shabat (Butler) def. Andrew Stutz, 6-0, 6-3
2. Marko Guzina (BSU) def. Mikheil Khmiadashvili, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
3. Mason Dragos (Butler) def. Nemanja Guzina, 6-4, 7-6 (13)
4. Spencer Lang (Butler) def. Patrick Downs, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
5. Conner Andersen (BSU) def. Adrian Mag, 6-4, 6-3
6. Ari Gerstein (Butler) def. Jan Jirus, 6-3, 6-4