The deck seemed to be stacked against Wesleyan men’s tennis from the outset. Not only would the they be facing the defending national champion and Little Three rival, they would also be traveling on short rest. Moreover, the magnitude of the match had not diminished for the Cardinals since the start of the season, as the Lord Jeffs entered the contest ranked #1 in all of Division III with an undefeated conference record.

Amherst made quick work of the Cardinals in all of the matches, with Wesleyan only managing to win one set during their six singles matches. The doubles matches fared no better, as the three pairings fell without much pressure. All eight of Amherst’s seniors managed to record points, while Wesleyan veteran and lone senior Robert Troyer ’12 represented the individual Cardinal to take a set off of Amherst.

“Troyer has been a leader on and off the court and has been a hugely positive influence on the team,” said Michael Glen ’13.

While Troyer will not be returning next year, everyone else will rejoin the roster.

“He’s going to be missed. But we’ll be looking forward to next year shortly,” added Glen.

The Cardinals may not have achieved the high goals they set as a team to begin their campaign, yet they still need not look far to see positive aspects of the season. Their 13 wins tie the 2002 squad for most ever from a Wesleyan team. What’s more, the seven freshman have accounted for a significant chunk of the highlights from the past season. Stephen Monk ’15 displayed an ability to win at the top seed, while Donovan Suh ’15 and Ben Hudson ’15 both demonstrated an uncanny knack for battling through both singles and doubles matches.

Certainly the Cardinals are disappointed with the way their year finished against their Little Three opponent at Amherst. However, it serves as a helpful measuring stick for what they wish to accomplish in the near future. Given Wesleyan’s young core and strong 2012 season, the year to come seems promising.