KISSIMMEE, Fla.- The Hobart College tennis team won five of six singles matches to claim a 5-4 win over Franklin and Marshall this afternoon. The win improves the Statesmen to 3-0 on their spring break trip. The Diplomats, who entered the season as the 12th ranked team in the Oracle/ITA Division III Men's Atlantic South Regional Rankings, fall to 1-3 on the year.
 
The Diplomats (1-3) swept doubles play to take a 3-0 lead in the match. Senior Michael Rusk and sophomore Jonah Salita played a tight match but were edged by Isaac Salas and Inigo Flores 8-6.  
 
Sophomore Jonathan Atwater started the rally for Hobart at No. 2 singles. He defeated Isaac Salas, who was the Atlantic South region's 21st ranked singles player, 6-3, 6-2. The win improved Atwater to a team-best 8-2 on the year. First-year Alan Dubrovsky bested Zack Levin 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3. Dubrovsky is now 7-2 in his rookie campaign. Salita tied the match at 3-3 with a 6-2, 6-2 win in the top singles spot. Junior Harry Nichols put the Statesmen in front with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 5 singles. Franklin & Marshall tied the match 4-4 thanks to Flores' 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 4 singles. For the second straight day, first-year Joe Mallon clinched the overall match for Hobart. He topped Andrew Pace 6-2, 7-6(7-1) in the sixth spot.
 
The Statesmen will conclude their spring break trip tomorrow with a match against 15th-ranked Amherst. The match is scheduled to get underway at 8 a.m.