SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. -- The Kutztown University men's tennis team took down homestanding Shepherd, 6-1, in its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference finale Saturday afternoon.

Gonzalo Barcelo (San Pedro, Argentina/Nuestra Senora del Socorro), Sebastian Arizpe (Puebla, Mexico/Colegio Humboldt de Puebla) and Kurt Abell (Sinking Spring, Pa./Conrad Weiser) collected wins in singles and doubles for the Maroon and Gold, which improved to 2-5 overall and 2-4 in league play.

The winless Rams (0-7, 0-5 PSAC) tried to get the jump in doubles as Mason Palmer and Ryan Cox won the No. 3 match 6-2, but Kutztown thrwarted those thoughts by capturing the remaining two matches. Neal Devkaran (Fairfax, Va./Paul VI Catholic) and Abell posted a 6-3 win at No. 2 and Barcelo and Arizpe held off Evan Dokken and Kaleb Lochner 6-4 at No. 1.

Kutztown claimed wins in 5-of-6 singles matches, including a pair of three-set thrillers, to put the hosts away.

Barcelo defeated Dokken 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1 to give the Bears a 2-0 lead, but Shepherd's Austin Cramer closed the gap to 2-1 with a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 win at No. 3.

Freshmen Justin Gincauskas (Mississauga, Ontario/Cawthra Park Secondary) and Ethan Moyer (Wernersville, Pa./Conrad Weiser) earned straight set wins at No. 4 and No. 6 to secure the match for KU, leaving just No. 2 Arizpe and No. 5 Abell yet to finish.

The Kutztown duo were busy battling to the end against worthy Ram opponents. Ultimately, Arzipe defeated Lochner 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 and Abell fought off Cox 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to put a bow on the Bears' successful day.

Kutztown will face non-conference foe Saint Thomas Aquinas on the road Tuesday at noon.