BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University men’s tennis team had its two-match Southern Conference winning streak snapped Friday as the Bulldogs dropped a 5-2 league decision at home against the Furman Paladins in a key conference matchup held at the Samford Tennis Center.

Samford (5-9, 2-3 SoCon), which has been playing a man-down lately with an injury to redshirt freshman Henry Moore, dropped the doubles point Friday and then suffered losses in four of the six singles contests.

Due to a shortage of healthy players, the Bulldogs were forced to forfeit the No. 6 singles contest as Furman (10-7, 4-0 SoCon) also picked up victories on courts No. 2, 3 and 5. With their four wins in singles play, the Paladins secured the 5-2 team triumph.

Samford’s singles victories occurred on courts No. 1 and No. 4. In the No. 1 singles contest, the Bulldogs’ Elliot Barnwell topped Furman’s Adam Steryous, 7-5, 7-5. With his win, Barnwell improved his singles record on the season to 9-5.

On court No. 4, Samford’s Trey Carter breezed past the Paladins’ Joel Cook, 6-4, 6-2. Carter is in the midst of a three-match winning streak and upped his dual-match record on the season to 6-8.