Rocky Mount, N.C. - North Carolina Wesleyan's men's and women's tennis teams played their first matches at the Slick Family Foundation Tennis Complex on Saturday, with both squads earning key regional victories. The 12th-ranked Battling Bishop men cruised to a 9-0 sweep, while the women were 8-1 winners.
On the men's side, Wesleyan (3-0) opened up a 3-0 lead in doubles competition and did not look back en route to a 9-0 sweep. Alexey Rumyantsev and Robert Kjellberg were 8-5 victors at #1 doubles, while Rinat Khussainov/Viktor Selander and Marcelo Prata/Anton Filonov were both 8-0 winners at #2 and #3, respectively.
NCWC's Fred Lemongo, Clayton Sonn, Artsiom Prostak, Peter Hviid, Dominic Forsdike and Panayot Kusidi each recorded singles wins.
Like their male counterparts, the Bishop women also raced out to 3-0 lead after doubles play. Samia Katcher teamed with Kristen Seidel for an 8-2 win at the top seed, while Bristy Parker and Tori Jones were 9-7 winners at the #2 slot. Freshmen Yvonne Kamegne and Bibhuti Baral completed the sweep with and 8-3 win at #3.
In singles play, Wesleyan (1-2) earned straight-set victories at the #1 through #5 seeds. Guilford's Adelaide Ayers earned the Quakers' lone point with a 6-2, 7-6 win over Baral at the #6 position.
Wesleyan returns to action at home next weekend. NCWC's women will host Delaware State on Friday, March 2nd, at 3:00pm, while both teams will take on Bridgewater College on Saturday, the 3rd, at 1:00pm.