COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College men's tennis team concluded its season with a 6-3 loss to Franklin Pierce University during Senior Day on Saturday at the SMC Tennis Courts. The Purple Knights, who saw the match swing on a pair of close losses, ended the year at 1-14 overall and 0-9 in the Northeast-10 Conference. The Ravens are 4-13 and 3-6.

Saint Michael's played its first outdoor home match of the season, marking the second straight season its lone outing on the SMC Tennis Courts came on Senior Day. The Purple and Gold won 59 games on Saturday, four more than its total from an 8-1 setback last season.

The Purple Knights fell behind 3-0 after doubles, but only following senior Hayden Steward (Hamilton, Mass./Pingree School) and first-year Matt Mosher (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Warde) dropping a narrow 9-7 decision in the No. 2 position. Seniors Patrick Dietz (Prospect, Conn./Woodland Regional) and Forrest Owen (Northboro, Mass./Saint John's) lost 8-4 in the third spot.

In singles play, Owen capped his career by claiming a 6-1, 6-1 decision at No. 6 for the first singles victory of his three-year tenure as a Purple Knight, in just his seventh attempt. Mosher finished off his third win of the season - and first playing as high as the No. 4 position - with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) triumph. In the fifth spot, Steward came out on top by a 6-3, 4-6, 10-3 count, registering the first three-set victory of his career. Sophomore Dan Foley (Wellesley, Mass./Wellesley) nearly picked up a fourth win for the hosts but lost a close 6-4, 7-5 contest at No. 4.

Dietz, Owen, Steward and Ben Lambert (Milford, N.H./Milford) were honored during a ceremony prior to their final collegiate match as part of Senior Day.