THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - For the fourth time over the past five matches a Cal Lutheran men's tennis match has been decided by a single point. On Wednesday the Kingsmen clinched the match early on in a 5-4 home win over Christopher Newport.

Results: CLU 5, CNU 4 - F

The Cal Lutheran coaching staff has recently stressed the importance of getting off to a good start in doubles play. CLU and CNU were tied 1-1 with the No. 1 doubles match result determining which team would lead into singles play.

It was a match between a pair of top-four nationally ranked doubles pairings. No. 2 Nicholas Ballou and Ray Worley of Cal Lutheran were taking on No. 4 Matt King and Eric Shulman of Christopher Newport.

An 8-8 score in the superset forced a tiebreak to determine a winner. Ballou and Worley dominated from then on taking the tiebreak 7-1 and in turn putting the Kingsmen ahead 2-1.

Cody Kowalczyk and Connor Treacy cruised to victories in singles play before teammate Thomas Millet won his match at No. 5 singles. It provided the final three points necessary to clinch Wednesday's match against the Captains.

CNU's Shulman outlasted No. 14 Ballou in the third set for a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 victory. It is the second nationally ranked singles player he has defeated in as many days following yesterday's win over No. 26 Paul Burgin of Kenyon.

Tomorrow will be the fourth consecutive day Cal Lutheran will host a match. The Kingsmen will have played six matches over the past six days after competing in a pair of road tilts this past Saturday.

No. 20 Cal Lutheran (5-1) will host No. 11 Trinity of Texas (6-3) on Thursday, March 8, at 4:30 p.m.