FRANKLIN – The Franklin men's tennis team secured a crucial Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) win on Saturday (Apr. 22) afternoon, taking 5-4 thriller over the Anderson Ravens at Grizzly Park.
 
Franklin (6-13, 2-3 HCAC) claimed the tight battle with the Ravens (8-8, 3-3 HCAC) by winning one doubles tie-breaker and a pair of three-set battles in singles play to move to within half a game behind the Ravens in the conference standings with one match to go.
 
Nathan Jarboe and Shay Kyser earned the day's first point with an 8-5 win at No. 3 doubles. After the Ravens tied up doubles play, Dustin Garrison and Layton Stieneker claimed an 8-7 (10-6) nail-biter at the top of the doubles lineup to send Franklin into singles play with a 2-1 lead.
 
Franklin's first singles point came from sophomore Owen Pickerill after he went on to take a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles. The Ravens secured the next three singles points to move within one point of victory with the two and four singles matches to go. Ezra Schwier rallied from down a set at No. 4 singles to rally and win 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 and Garrison secured Franklin's victory with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 victory at the two-spot.
 
The Grizzlies are back in action on Sunday (Apr. 23) for their final match of the regular season, as they take on the Earlham Quakers at Grizzly Park. First serve is set for 1:00 p.m.