FORT WAYNE, IND. – Victories from sophomore Katie Peden (North Manchester, Ind.) and the doubles team of Peden and junior Adriana Brown (Columbia City, Ind.) lifted Manchester University in its 2015-16 spring season opener Friday, Feb. 26.

MU's women dipped to 3-8 with a close-knit 6-2 loss to visiting Alma College of Michigan at the Wildwood Racquet Center. Peden's straight-set singles' decision was her third victory of the year, while she and Brown, winning at number two doubles, were paired up for the first time. Sophomore Katy Ashpole (Leesburg, Ind.) nearly added another team point for the Spartans, battling AC's Paige Pontius to a 7-5 final in the first set that could have swung their number three singles' match-up.

On the men's side of the ledger, junior Stratton Smith (New Palestine, Ind.) and sophomore Isaac Collis (Alexandria, Ind.) led MU in a 7-0 loss to the Fighting scots. Smith pushed Alma College No. 1 singles' player Jared Guy to a 6-4 final in the first set, while Collis made the Fighting Scots' Noah Ackerman work to the wire in a 7-5 second set decision at No. 5. Smith and sophomore doubles partner Spencer Thomas (Yorktown, Ind.) gained four game wins at number one doubles as well despite the defeat that dropped the squad to 0-3.

Both teams are part of a double-dual at Adrian College of Michigan March 31 against the Bulldogs and Ohio Northern University. MU's men are back in action March 13, beginning the 2015-16 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference season at Rose-Hulman.