MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Presbyterian College men's tennis team defeated Alabama State, 4-3, and Alabama A&M, 7-0, on the opening day of the Alabama State Invitational in Montgomery, Ala. The Blue Hose improved to 4-3 on the year with the two wins.

PC got the day started with a tight 4-3 victory over the Hornets. The Blue Hose swept the three doubles matches to take the early 1-0 lead. Brandon Mills and Alexander Lykou got it started with a 6-3 victory on court two and Diego Manzanas and Jaime Castillo-Lopez followed on court three with a 6-4 win to clinch the doubles point. Ben Kelley and Joel Roberts then made it a clean sweep with a 7-5 win on court one.

The two teams would split the six singles matches with the outcome of the match hinging on the final one. ASU tied the match at 1-1 with a win on court two but Ben Kelley put PC back in front with a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 5. Joel Roberts then extended the lead to 3-1, winning in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 6. The Hornets then tied the match at 3-3 with wins on courts one and three with deciding match on court four. Alejandro Bejar prevailed in three sets, 6-3, 5-7, 6-0, to take court four and push the match in PC's favor.

The later match would feature much less drama, as PC recorded its first 7-0 victory of the season and taking all nine matches in straight sets. In doubles, Mills and Lykou teamed up to take court one, 7-6, while Manzanas and Castillo-Lopez won on court two, 6-0. Bejar and Elias Svensson, in his first collegiate action, recorded a 6-1 victory on court three.

Singles all went in PC's favor, as Lykou won 6-2, 6-4 at No. 1 and Manzanas took No. 2, 6-0, 6-1. Kelley earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 3 and Roberts proved impressive with a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 4. Castillo-Lopez kept things rolling with a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 5 and Svensson won his first collegiate singles match by a score of 6-2, 6-1 at No. 6.

The Blue Hose wrap up play in Alabama tomorrow morning with an 11 a.m. ET match against Jacksonville State.