After a heavy downpour soaked the courts, players from both teams came together to help clean and dry the playing surface. Once the sun reappeared, the long-awaited conference championship match against Prairie State got underway with high energy and determination.

In singles play, Co-Captain Dwayne Daarol set the tone early, taking the first set 7-5 at the #1 spot. After a grueling second set that ended in a 6-7 tiebreaker loss, Daarol continued into a third set but was forced to retire trailing 1-3 after nearly three hours of intense play.

On the adjacent court, fellow Co-Captain Evan Bernales fought hard at #2 singles. After dropping the first set 6-1, he bounced back to claim the second 6-4. The decisive third set remained tight, but Prairie State edged out a 6-4 win.

At #3 singles, Seth Lampkin battled in a competitive second set but ultimately fell 6-1, 6-2. Pablo Galan was defeated 6-1, 6-0 at the #4 position, while Mark Hornung faced a tough opponent and lost 6-0, 6-0 at #5. Vinny Marino showed resilience at #6, rebounding in the second set before falling 6-1, 6-3.

In doubles, the Lancers defaulted at the #1 position. The #2 duo of Seth Lampkin and Pablo Galan displayed solid chemistry but lost 8-2. Ian Reyes and Mark Hornung fell 8-1 at #3 doubles.

Despite the tough loss, the Lancers remain focused as they head into regionals this Friday at Park Forest Tennis Club and Saturday at Prairie State College. With a decade-long streak of qualifying for nationals on the line, the team is eager to bounce back and continue their tradition of excellence.