IRVINE, Calif. – The UC Irvine men's tennis team earned three singles victories at the top of the lineup, but came up just short in a 4-3 loss to Northern Arizona Sunday afternoon at Anteater Tennis Stadium.

Juniors Sebastian Heim and Luca Marquard each won in straight sets at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively, while sophomore Luis Lopez went the distance at No. 3 to go 2-0 on the weekend.

"I thought Sebby, Luca and Luis were great competitors today," UCI head coach Mike Saunders said. "They play like warriors and hopefully that will be infectious to the others. We just need to work harder, work smarter and focus on the process. We need to go out every day and get better, and we will."

After claiming the doubles point, NAU took a 2-0 lead when Thomas Fisher defeated freshman Bruce Man-Son-Hing, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 6.

Heim, who is ranked 95th in the nation, then got the Anteaters on the board as he cruised to a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Tim Handel at the top spot. Handel is also ranked 13th in the Mountain Region.

The Lumberjacks (1-3) proceeded to go up, 3-1, with junior Andrew Gong dropping a 6-2, 6-2 decision to Ruben Montano at the fifth spot, but Marquard came right back with a 7-5, 6-3 triumph over Felix Schumann on court two.

The dual then came down to a pair of tight matches in the middle of the lineup as sophomore Vatsal Bajpai (No. 4) and Lopez (No. 3) were each locked in a three-set battle. Bajpai, who had dropped the first set 6-2, responded with a 6-3 win, but the Lumberjacks' Sebastian Eguez was able to hold on for the match-clinching victory (6-2, 3-6, 6-3.)

Lopez eventually closed out the day with an impressive 6-0, 5-7, 6-3 victory over Lucas Taylor.

In doubles, Bajpai and Man-Son-Hing teamed up at No. 3 to dispatch Fisher/Schumann, 6-3. Northern Arizona answered with Handel/Taylor taking down Lopez and Marquard, 6-2, at No. 2.

The point was then decided at the top of the lineup where Montano/Eguez came from behind to edge sophomore Mason Hansen and Heim. The 'Eater duo started strong, winning the first four games, before NAU stormed back to knot it up at 4-4. UCI would pull ahead 5-4 behind the strong serving of Hansen, but Northern Arizona won the next three for a hard-fought 7-5 win that secured the doubles point for the visitors.

UC Irvine (1-5) returns to action on Friday, Feb. 17, when it begins a three-match road stretch at Pepperdine.

Northern Arizona 4, UC Irvine 3

Singles
1. #95 Sebastian Heim (UCI) def. Tim Handel (NAU): 6-0, 6-4
2. Luca Marquard (UCI) def. Felix Schumann (NAU): 7-5, 6-3
3. Luis Lopez (UCI) def. Lucas Taylor (NAU): 6-0, 5-7, 6-3
4. Sebastian Eguez (NAU) def. Vatsal Bajpai (UCI): 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
5. Ruben Montano (NAU) def. Andrew Gong (UCI): 6-2, 6-2
6. Thomas Fisher (NAU) def. Bruce Man-Son-Hing (UCI): 6-4, 6-1

Order of finish: 6, 1, 5, 2, 4*, 3

Doubles
1. Eguez/Montano (NAU) def. Mason Hansen/Heim (UCI): 7-5
2. Handel/Taylor (NAU) def. Lopez/Marquard (UCI): 6-2
3. Bajpai/Man-Son-Hing (UCI) def. Fisher/Schumann (NAU): 6-3

Order of finish: 3, 2, 1*