ALTOONA, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona men's tennis team clinched the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference co-regular season championship on Sunday, when the Lions closed their conference schedule with a doubleheader split with league foe Penn State Behrend at the Adler Tennis Courts.

Penn State Behrend (9-6, 5-1 AMCC) won the first match 6-3, but Penn State Altoona (9-4, 5-1 AMCC) bounced back to take a 5-4 victory in the second match. By virtue of their identical conference records, Altoona and Behrend each claim a share of the AMCC's regular season title.

With the conference's regular season now complete, the seeds for the upcoming AMCC postseason tournament will be officially announced by the conference office.

Match One: Penn State Behrend 6, Penn State Altoona 3

Penn State Altoona found itself behind early, as Behrend won two out of three in doubles to secure an early lead. The Lions pulled out two wins during a highly competitive round of singles matches, but it was not enough to rally past the visitors.

Penn State Altoona salvaged a point in doubles when the pair of Emmett Hibbs (Richfield, PA/East Juniata)/Wilhelm Grot (Tyrone, PA/Tyrone) prevailed 8-3 for their fifth win of the season together.

But Behrend expanded its lead during a tightly fought singles round that saw four matches go to tiebreak. The visitors won four out of six singles matches, finishing with a three-point victory.

Nick Beard (Manns Choice, PA/Bedford) registered his ninth singles win of the season in the No. 3 match, which he won 4-6, 6-3, 10-6. Kadyn Carey (Altoona, PA/Altoona) also battled for a victory, as he triumphed 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7-3), 10-8 in the No. 4 match for his eighth win of the year.

Match Two: Penn State Altoona 5, Penn State Behrend 4

After having its eight-match winning streak snapped by Behrend in the first match, Penn State Altoona got revenge with a narrow victory in the second match of Sunday's doubleheader. This time, the Lions overcame a 2-1 deficit after doubles by winning four out of six in singles to come back and win the match by a point.

Behrend won two in doubles play, but Penn State Altoona picked up a point in the No. 2 match, where the tandem of Andrew Chronister (York, PA/Dallastown)/Beard won 8-2 in their first match together this spring.

Penn State Altoona came from behind to beat Behrend by taking four singles matches. Casey Hess (Annville, PA/Annville-Cleona) and Chronister recorded shortened wins in the top two spots, as Hess posted a 7-5, 3-1, retired win in the No. 1 match and Chronister played to a 6-3, 3-0, retired decision over his opponent in the No. 2 spot. Hess' win was his 10th of the season, while Chronister's was his team-high 12th.

Beard earned his second win of the day and 10th of the season in the No. 3 singles match, where he clinched a 7-6 (7-3), 6-0 victory. Jackson Newell (Leechburg, PA/Kiski) provided the Lions' fifth point of the match with a 6-2, 6-4 win in the No. 5 slot for his eighth victory of the season.

Next up, Penn State Altoona will finish its regular season schedule with a non-conference match at home this week. The Lions will host non-league opponent Lycoming College on Tuesday, April 16, at 4:30 p.m.