Boardman - The Youngstown State men's tennis team dropped a 4-3 decision to Northern Kentucky in its Horizon League opener on Friday night at the Boardman Tennis Center. 

The Penguins (4-11 overall and 0-1 in the Horizon League) split the six singles matches with the Norse (4-3 and 1-0). However wins at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles gave NKU the doubles. The Norse also won the first three completed singles matches before the Guins won the last three.

YSU won at No. 3 doubles as Bassem El Mekawi and Yossi Dahan won by a 6-3 score, but the Norse won 6-4 at No. 1 and 7-6 (4) at No. 2.

El Mekawi, Dahan and Agustin Reyes each won singles matches for the Guins at Nos. 4-6. Northern Kentucky won the three matches at Nos. 1-3 in straight sets.

Dahan won 6-4, 6-3 over Court Clark at No. 4 singles. At No. 5, El Mekawi defeated Blaine Carr 6-2, 6-1. Reyes picked up a 6-0, 3-6, 10-3 victory over Adrian Isache at No. 6.

YSU returns to action next Saturday when it visits Detroit.