Pierre Planche reacts to a point with doubles partner Chris Ellis during Bates' 6-3 victory over Bowdoin on April 9, 2015. (Josh Kuckens/Bates College) 

LEWISTON, Maine -- The No. 20 nationally ranked Bates College men's tennis team defeated rival and eighth-ranked Bowdoin College 6-3 on Thursday evening in Merrill Gymnasium, the Bobcats' third straight victory and possibly their biggest of the season. It is Bates' second head-to-head win in a row over its neighboring rival.

The Polar Bears (8-2, 2-1 NESCAC) lost for the first time since March 11, interrupting a string of six straight victories.

Bates (8-4, 3-0 NESCAC) took two out of three doubles matches to start the match, then clinched it by scoring its fifth team point with sophomore Pat Ordway's (Falmouth, Maine) 6-1, 6-2 win over Gil Roddy at No. 6 singles, which gave Bates a 5-3 lead. First-year Ben Rosen (Port Washington, N.Y.) won 10-8 in a third-set tiebreaker at No. 5 singles to complete the match.

Bates' All-American doubles pair of senior Pierre Planche (Natick, Mass.) and sophomore Chris Ellis (Shrewsbury, Mass.) teamed up for a 9-8 (8-6) victory at No. 1 doubles over Luke Trinka and Luke Tercek. Planche later edged Trinka in three sets at No. 1 singles, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.

Rosen was also 2-0 on the day for the Bobcats, teaming with fellow freshman Adam Schwartz (Los Angeles, Calif.) for an 8-5 win at No. 3 doubles over Chase Savage and Kyle Wolfe, before the singles victory at No. 5. Brent Feldman defeated Savage 6-4, 6-4 at fourth singles.

For Bowdoin, Roddy and Kyle Wolstencroft won 8-4 at No. 2 doubles. Noah Bragg defeated Ellis at second singles (6-3, 6-2), and Wolfe scored a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Schwartz at third singles. 

Since returning from an 0-3 road trip against North Carolina Wesleyan, Mary Washington and Johns Hopkins, Bates has defeated three straight ranked opponents in Brandeis, Wesleyan and Bowdoin.

Both teams face NESCAC opponents on Saturday at 10am, with Bates at Connecticut College and Bowdoin at Hamilton.

Bates 6, Bowdoin 3
April 9, 2015 at Lewiston, Maine (Merrill Gymnasium)

Doubles
1. Pierre Planche/Chris Ellis def. Luke Trinka/Luke Tercek (Bowdoin) 9-8 (8-6)
2. Kyle Wolstencroft/Gil Roddy (Bowdoin) def. Henry Lee/Pat Ordway (Bates) 8-4
3. Adam Schwartz/Ben Rosen (Bates) def. Chase Savage/Kyle Wolfe (Bowdoin) 8-5

Singles
1. Planche (Bates) def. Trinka (Bowdoin) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
2. Noah Bragg (Bowdoin) def. Ellis (Bates) 6-3, 6-2
3. Wolfe (Bowdoin) def. Schwartz (Bates) 6-4, 6-3
4. Brent Feldman (Bates) def. Savage (Bowdoin) 6-4, 6-4
5. Rosen (Bates) def. Tercek (Bowdoin) 6-1, 4-6, 10-8
6. Ordway (Bates) def. Roddy (Bowdoin) 6-1, 6-2