The men's tennis team (9-5) played a six-hour marathon match against defending Division III champion Swarthmore yesterday, fighting hard but losing to the more experienced Swarthmore team 5-4.

"We broke them and they broke us right back," a pleased Coach Jan Bortner said after the match.

Penn State's No. 1 player, sophomore Marc Price, won his singles match against Swarthmore's No. 1, Steve Tighon, 6-4, 6-3. The Lions' other singles winner was sophomore, Marc Payne, who defeated No. 6, Manuel Batlie, 7-5, 6-4.

Sophomore Corey Goldstein battled in the No. 2 spot for Penn State losing to Tom Cantine 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Freshman Greg Gaunt lost to No. 3 Lee Tucker 7-6, 6-3.

Sophomore Sean Snee lost to No. 4, Andy Dailey 6-2, 6-3. Freshman Chad Skorupka battled but lost to No. 5 Rosenstrach, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Bortner was happy with the comeback his team made from the singles, winning two of the three doubles matches.

Penn State's team of Price and senior co-captain Dave Schoenly defeated Swarthmore's combination of Tighon and Dailey, 7-6, 7-5.

The Lions' No. 2 team, Gaunt and Skorupka, lost to Cantine and Tucker, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3. Bortner was proud of the way the two freshmen battled the older Swarthmore players saying that the mistakes they made were due to inexperience.

"They (Gaunt and Skorupka) played well," Bortner said. "They battled hard and stayed positive."

Penn State's No. 3 team of Payne and senior co-captain Scott Pickering overtook Swarthmore's Rosenstrach and Batlie, 7-5, 6-3.

Overall Bortner was pleased, remembering that last year Swarthmore defeated Penn State 9-0, and they were favored going into the match.

"I was happy we were able to close the gap," Bortner said.

The Lions will take to the road this weekend playing a match at Old Dominion on Saturday and a match against William and Mary on Sunday. The next home match will be against Duquesne March 27.