WINTER PARK, Fla. - Army (6-6) earned the doubles point and two solo decisions, but Air Force (10-2) held on for a 4-3 win, the Falcons' ninth straight victory overall, against the Black Knights on Sunday in men's tennis action at a neutral court in Winter Park, Fla.

Tripp Johnson and Alex Holland opened the match at No. 3 doubles with an 8-4 win, before the Falcon duo of Brett Rogers/Taylor Soster answered with an 8-6 win over Army's Gary Kushnirovich/Rashad Shelton. In the match that decided the doubles point, senior captain Chris Albornoz and classmate John Lucero notched the victory with a 7-2 tiebreak to put Army up 1-0.

The Falcons stormed back, however, and claimed the first three singles matches in straight sets to take control of the match, 3-1.

With the match's deciding points on the line, Shelton (6-4, 6-1) and Johnson (6-3, 6-3) won their matches at No. 6 and No.4, respectively to know the score at three all headed into the No. 5 singles contest between Army's Lucero and Air Force's Rodgers.

Lucero and Rogers battled in a tight match, with Rogers coming away the victor after a 6-3 win in the first set, followed by a 8-6 second-set tiebreak that locked up the Falcons' third win opposite the Black Knights in five meetings between the two Academy rivals. The teams last met in 2005, when the Black Knights defeated the No. 74 Falcons 5-2.

Army will return to action Tuesday, March 23 in its Patriot League season-opener opposite Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pa.

Air Force 4, Army 3

Singles

1. Lance Wilhelm (AF) def. Gary Kushnirovich (A), 6-2, 7-5 

2. Austin Francis (AF) def. Donald Van Velzer (A), 6-3, 6-1

3. Taylor Soster (AF) def. Chris Albornoz (A), 6-4, 6-2

4. Tripp Johnson (A) def. Brett Rodgers (AF), 6-3, 6-3

5. Vinni Lodolo (AF) def. Johnny Lucero (A), 6-3, 7-6(6)

6. Rashad Shelton (A) def. Alex Beaussart (AF), 6-4, 6-1

Doubles

1. Rodgers / Soster (AF) def. Kushnirovich / Shelton (A), 8-6 

2. Albornoz / Lucero (A) def. Francis / Wilhelm (AF), 9-8(2) 

3. Johnson / Alex Holland (A) def. Beaussart / Sam Barnes (AF), 8-4