HARROGATE, Tenn. – The UVa-Wise men's tennis team dropped a 9-0 road decision Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Despite a couple of hard-fought, close singles matches, the Cavaliers (3-4) were unable to claim a point against the host Railsplitters (5-2).
 
The doubles duo of juniors Andrii Rutnytskyi (Odessa, Ukraine) and Viktor Tunnikov (Kharkiv, Ukraine) battled Lincoln Memorial's Xavier Marti and Joshua Peress at the top doubles spot but were only able to come away with four games, falling 8-4. Junior Christopher Armistead (Virginia Beach, Va.) and freshman Josh McFadden (Newport News, Va.) were unable to claim a game at No. 2 doubles and were handed a 8-0 loss by Pepe Batalla and David Segarra of Lincoln Memorial. Having only five players eligible to compete, UVa-Wise had to give up third doubles as the Railspliltters' Jake Tuchmann and Carlos Zunino got the default.
 
McFadden went toe-to-toe with his opponent at No. 4 singles but fell in a third-set tiebreaker. After dropping the opening set 6-3 to Moritz Hoerner of LMU, McFadden rallied for a 6-3 second-set win. Despite a 3-3 tie in the 10-point tiebreaker for the third set, Hoerner pulled away from McFadden to claim it at 10-6. Tunnikov played another close match at second singles where he was defeated 6-3 in the second set after being edged 7-5 in the first set by the Railsplitters' Batalla.
 
At the top singles spot, Rutnytskyi found himself with opportunities in both the first and second sets but could not pull away from Peress of LMU, ultimately falling 6-3, 6-3. Armistead grabbed five games off of the Railsplitters' Segarra at No. 3 singles but dropped a 6-4, 6-1 decision.
 
Zunino of LMU shutout freshman Daniel Laughlin (Bristol, Va.) 8-0 in a pro set at fifth singles, and the Cavs were forced to default the sixth spot to the Railsplitters' Tuchmann.
 
The Cavs will have six days off from action before welcoming Davis & Elkins College to the Jim and Betty Humphreys Tennis Complex for UVa-Wise's spring home opener next Saturday, March 4. First serve is slated for 10 a.m. with the women's team also taking on the Senators.
 
Visit uvawisecavs.com for all Cavalier men's tennis news, statistics, complete schedule and more.
 
Full Match Results
Lincoln Memorial 9, UVa-Wise 0
 
Singles
1. Joshua Peress (LMU) def. Andrii Rutnytskyi (WISE) 6-3, 6-3
2. Pepe Batalla (LMU) def. Viktor Tunnikov (WISE) 7-5, 6-3
3. David Segarra (LMU) def. Christopher Armistead (WISE) 6-4, 6-1
4. Moritz Hoerner (LMU) def. Josh McFadden (WISE) 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6)
5. Carlos Zunino (LMU) def. Daniel Laughlin (WISE) 8-0
6. Jake Tuchmann (LMU) def. No player (WISE), by default
 
Doubles
1. Xavier Marti/Joshua Peress (LMU) def. Andrii Rutnytskyi/Viktor Tunnikov (WISE) 8-4
2. Pepe Batalla/David Segarra (LMU) def. Christopher Armistead/Josh McFadden (WISE) 8-0
3. Jake Tuchmann/Carlos Zunino (LMU) def. No player/No player (WISE), by default