SUNSET HILLS, Mo. - Webster men's tennis continued its 2021 season here Sunday evening by suffering a hard-fought 5-4 setback to Hastings College in non-conference action at the Sunset Hills Tennis Club.

With the setback, Webster falls to 0-5 overall on the season, while Hastings improved to 2-4 on the year. 

Sunday's match, which was about 24 hours after the Gorloks home match on Saturday against Evangel University, was another match that was back-and-forth as the Gorloks were able to win three singles matches and one of the double matches against the Broncos. On the day, Webster won 67 games in the match, including 54 games in singles. 

In doubles action, Webster opened the match with a win at No. 1 doubles as senior Riley Muren (O'Fallon, Ill./Illinois-Springfield) and freshman Matthew Birchmeier (Swartz Creek, Mich./Flushing) partnered together to pick up an 8-6 win over Hastings' tandem of Hayden and Hunter Royal. The doubles win by Muren and Birchmeier were the first of the season for the pair as they are now 1-3 on the season.

Hastings would win the other two doubles matches on Sunday as they won 8-4 at No. 2 doubles and 8-1 at No. 3 doubles. 

Leading 2-1 in the match, the teams turned to singles and in singles, Hastings picked up wins at No. 3 and No. 4, while Webster won at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 to even the match at 4-all and set up the deciding match at No. 6 singles between senior Courtland Butler (St. Louis, Mo./McKinley) and Hastings' Ryan Hunter. 

After Hastings won at No. 4 singles to take a 3-1 lead in the match, Webster freshman Noah Thomas (Wentzville, Mo./Holt) picked up the Gorloks' first singles point at No. 5 singles as he defeated David Loomis in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4. 

Hunter Royal would give Hastings a 4-2 lead in the match as he defeated Birchmeier, 6-3, 7-5 at the No. 3 singles spot. 

Webster freshman Cody Neal (Fenton, Mo./Rockwood Summit) picked up Webster's third win in singles as he posted a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win at the No. 2 spot over Hayden Royal. The singles win by Neal was the second of his young collegiate career.

Trailing 4-3, the Gorloks would tie the match at 4-all on Muren's three set win at No. 1 singles over Josh Sodorff. Muren, who improved to 3-2 on the season in singles, defeated Sodorff, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4. 

Muren's win made the No. 6 singles match between Butler and Hunter the deciding match to determine the winner. In the match, Butler lost 6-2 in the first set and then battled throughout the second set, before Hunter would prevail, 7-5 to seal the Broncos' match victory. 

The Gorloks will continue its homestand next Sunday, March 21 as they host Illinois College in a 10 a.m. match at the Webster Groves Tennis Center.