INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – A 2015 season filled with positives for Manchester University ended in the quarterfinal round of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships Friday, May 1.

MU, wrapping up 2014-15 at 4-10, picked up a number three doubles win from the senior combination of Phil Truitt (Huntington, Ind.) and Alex Winger (Warsaw, Ind.) for a team point, but third-seeded Earlham College held off a second charge in less than a week from the sixth-seeded Spartans to win 5-1 at the West Indy Racquet Club.

Despite seeing the Quakers advance to a semifinal round date with second-seeded Franklin College Saturday, May 2, Coach Eric Christiansen's crew had plenty to remember back on. The Spartans gained wins over non-conference rival Bethel College and fellow HCAC foe Hanover College for the first time in nearly a decade as part of their four victories and earned an opportunity at the HCAC tournament for the first time since 2010.

NOTES: Sophomore Stratton Smith (New Palestine, Ind.) topped the singles' wins chart (five) for the second straight year. He also was .500 against HCAC competition (4-4) … Freshman Spencer Thomas (Yorktown, Ind.) was first in doubles' decisions, going 7-7 with three different partners, while Smith and senior Kyle Lahman (North Manchester, Ind.) had the best combination record (6-7).