Bradford dropped a heartbreaker in the quarterfinals of the District 9 team tennis tournament, falling to DuBois Central Catholic, 3-2.

DCC claimed two of three singles matches, including first singles, in which Niel Gupta defeated Max Shaw. Shaw rebounded after dropping the first set, 6-1, but fell in the second set, 6-4.

Bradford’s Steven Williams also bounced back in his second set against another strong DCC opponent, playing against Colin Mickis at second singles. Mickis claimed the first set, 6-2, before out-lasting Williams in the second set, 7-6 (7-5).

Before the Cardinals put two team points on the board, however, Gabe Tate and Mitch Strauss won at first singles — 6-0, 6-3 — to get the Owls on the board first. Soon after the two preceding singles matches, Spencer Cornelius defeated Walter van Voorst tot Voorst in a three-set thriller at third singles.

Cornelius claimed the first set, 7-6 (10-8), before dropping the second set, 6-3. He roared back to win the decisive set, 6-2, to even the team scoring.

As Cornelius clinched his match, Peyton Haight and Ward Kennedy were locked into what would be a decisive second doubles match.

They dropped the first set, 6-4, but after being down by a break in the second set, began to storm back. Haight and Kennedy won the second set, 7-5, to force a third.

The Bradford pair dropped the first two games of their final set. After getting back on track, their comeback effort wasn’t enough, as they fell, 6-3.

“We went to team districts last year and lost 0-5, and we lost three starters off that team,” Bradford coach Doug Atteberry said. “Next year, we are only losing (Cornelius), and we have many guys ready to step in and complete. We have a few more matches, then we are going to get ready for singles, and doubles, districts.”