WISE, Va. – The UVa-Wise men's tennis team was handed a 7-2 non-conference home loss by the University of Pikeville Saturday afternoon at the Jim and Betty Humphreys Tennis Complex. The Cavaliers (3-6) were only able to win one doubles and one singles match in the contest as the visiting Bears (4-2) pulled out three tightly-contested singles victories.
 
In his collegiate debut, freshman John Hamilton (Wise, Va.) teamed up with fellow freshman Daniel Laughlin (Bristol, Va.) to earn a 8-3 win over Kenton Hall and Jorge Mejia of Pikeville for UVa-Wise's lone doubles win at the third spot. The Bears' Pedro Azevedo and Eric Bernabeu grabbed an 8-5 No. 1 doubles win over the junior duo of Andrii Rutnytskyi (Odessa, Ukraine) and Viktor Tunnikov (Kharkiv, Ukraine). Junior Christopher Armistead (Virginia Beach, Va.) and freshman Josh McFadden (Newport News, Va.) were defeated 8-4 at second doubles by Juan Reyes and Nicolas Rodenbusch of Pikeville.  
 
Trailing 2-1 after doubles competition, the Cavs' lone singles win came at the fifth spot where Laughlin picked up his first career singles victory with a 6-0, 6-2 rout of the Bears' Hall.
 
Rutnytskyi earned a 6-1 opening set win against Azevedo of Pikeville at the top singles position but was defeated 6-2 in the second set and fell 10-2 in the third-set super tiebreaker. Tunnikov lost a close first set, 7-5, against the Bears' Bernabeu at No. 2 singles but was only able to claim two games in the second.
 
The final match of the afternoon at sixth singles came down to the wire as well. Hamilton lost the opening set 6-3 to Mejia of Pikeville but forced a tiebreak in the second where he was edged 8-6.
 
McFadden took six games off of his opponent at No. 4 singles but was handed a 6-3, 6-3 loss by the Bears' Rodenbusch. Reyes of Pikeville topped Armistead 6-3, 6-0 at the third spot.
 
The Cavs are back in action tomorrow, Sunday, March 19, when UVa-Wise hosts Fairmont State University for its home opener. First serve is slated for 11 a.m. from the Jim and Betty Humphreys Tennis Complex.
 
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Full Match Results
University of Pikeville 7, UVa-Wise 2
 
Singles
1. Pedro Azevedo (PIKE) def. Andrii Rutnytskyi (WISE) 1-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-2)
2. Eric Bernabeu (PIKE) def. Viktor Tunnikov (WISE) 7-5, 6-2
3. Juan Reyes (PIKE) def. Christopher Armistead (WISE) 6-3, 6-0
4. Nicolas Rodenbusch (PIKE) def. Josh McFadden (WISE) 6-3, 6-3
5. Daniel Laughlin (WISE) def. Kenton Hall (PIKE) 6-0, 6-2
6. Jorge Mejia (PIKE) def. John Hamilton (WISE) 6-3, 7-6 (8-6)
 
Doubles
1. Pedro Azevedo/Eric Bernabeu (PIKE) def. Andrii Rutnytskyi/Viktor Tunnikov (WISE) 8-5
2. Juan Reyes/Nicolas Rodenbusch (PIKE) def. Christopher Armistead/Josh McFadden (WISE) 8-4
3. Daniel Laughlin/John Hamilton (WISE) def. Kenton Hall/Jorge Mejia (PIKE) 8-3