ELKINS, W.Va. - - Men's tennis fell to Davis & Elkins College in its season opener, 8-1. Seniors Andrii Rutnytskyi and Viktor Tunnikov were the lone victors for the Cavs (1-4), defeating their opponents, 8-5, at the No. 2 doubles spot.

At No. 1 doubles, senior Chris Armistead and junior Ethan Herron were outlasted, 8-3 by Davis & Elkins' Obert Mulyadi and Alejandro Meseguer. Pairing up at the number two spot, Rutnytskyi and Tunnikov earned an 8-5 victory over the Senators' Andrew Shand and Mason Schoonover. Freshman Coleton Burke and sophomore John Hamilton were defeated 8-1 at No. 3 doubles by Davis & Elkins' Tristram Spitsnaugle and Jacob Bowman.

Rutnytskyi played at the number one singles spot for the Cavs, falling 6-1, 6-3 to Mulyadi of Davis & Elkins. The Senators' Meseguer overpowered Tunnikov at the number two spot, 6-1, 6-0. Armistead managed to win four games in his second set, but ultimately fell 6-2, 6-4 to Andrew Shand of Davis & Elkins at the number three spot.

Herron was routed at the number four singles spot by Spitsnaugle, 6-1, 6-3, while Burke was defeated at No. 5 by Schoonover, 8-2. Hamilton would force a tiebreaker set at the number six singles spot but was unable to get the win, falling 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).

UVa-Wise will be back in action next Saturday, March 3, as the team travels to Emory, Va. to take on Emory & Henry College. First serve scheduled for noon.

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