Salisbury, N.C. – The Lenoir-Rhyne Men's Tennis Team (1-0) continued its strong start to the 2016 fall season with an 8-1 win over Catawba (1-2) in a non-conference regional match Wednesday afternoon at the Johnson Tennis Center.

The win for the Bears was also the first under new mentor Tom Rees.

Five players – sophomores Alex Crespo Sanchez (Valencia, SPAIN), Hamed Gandouz (Hammam Sousse, TUNISIA) and Shane O'Dea (Dublin, IRELAND), junior Tomas Hons (Valasske Mezirici, CZECH REPUBLIC) and freshman Tales Miranda (Sao Paulo, BRAZIL) – all won at single and doubles for the Bears on the day.

Lenoir-Rhyne next hosts Lees-McRae on Friday afternoon at Hickory High School at 1:00 p.m., while Catawba faces Lees-McRae on Thursday, October 13, at 2:00 p.m., in Banner Elk, N.C.

NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Final
Lenoir-Rhyne 8, Catawba 1
October 5, 2016
Salisbury, N.C.
(Johnson Tennis Center)

Singles competition:
1. Hamed Gandouz (LR) def. Michael Patch (CAT), 2-6, 6-1, 10-6
2. Tomas Hons (LR) def. Lucas Miller (CAT), 6-2, 4-6, 10-2
3. Luca Picci (CAT) def. Alex Ayguavives (LR), 7-6, 6-4
4. Shane O'Dea (LR) def. Ryen Reid (CAT), 7-6, 6-1
5. Alex Crespo Sanchez (LR) def. Adam Rocko (CAT), 6-4, 6-0
6. Tales Miranda (LR) def. Brad Smethurst (CAT), 6-1, 6-0

Doubles competition:
1. Tomas Hons/Shane O'Dea (LR) def. Michael Patch/Ryen Reid (CAT), 8-6
2. Hamed Gandouz/Paul Lenz (LR) def. Lucas Miller/Luca Picci (CAT), 8-4
3. Alex Crespo Sanchez/Tales Miranda (LR) def. Adam Rocko/Brad Smethurst (CAT), 8-4

Records:  Lenoir-Rhyne (1-0), Catawba (1-2)