Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MARS HILL, N.C. - Lenoir-Rhyne Men's and Women's Tennis got off to a strong start in SAC play on Thursday, with the men sweeping Mars Hill 7-0 and the women winning 6-1. The men swept the singles and only dropped one match in the doubles (the matches are scored doubles as one decision), and the women won all but one match in both doubles and singles. 

For the men, the duo of Rhodri Atkinson and Josh Lazenby were dominant at No. 1 doubles, winning 6-1. Patrik Alvestrand and Lewis Scott took care of business at No. 3 doubles, winning 6-4. In singles, Atkinson only dropped one game at No. 1, winning 6-1, 6-0, and Lazenby was victorious at No. 2 6-3, 6-2. Scott won a hard-fought match at No. 3 singles 7-5 and 6-4, and Joel Hemmings didn't break much of a sweat at No. 4 singles, winning 6-2, 6-3. Alvestrand won 6-2, 7-5 at No. 5 singles, and Zachary Cox rounded out the Bear effort at No. 6 singles with a 6-1, 6-2 win. 

On the women's side, the Bears had to fight for their wins, but they came through in the end. Alicia Wahlberg and Diana Babinets won 6-4 at No. 1 doubles, and Sandy Mitsou and Evgeniya Pugina won a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-4) at No. 3 doubles. In singles, Gemma Southwick took care of business at No. 1, winning 6-2, 6-3. Pugina won 6-3, 6-1 at No. 2 singles, and Wahlberg won a marathon set 9-7 at No. 3 singles. Lucy Whelan won 8-5 at No. 5 singles, and Leticia Luiz had the longest match of the day at No. 6 singles, winning in three sets 6-7, 6-1, 6-3. 

The Bears return to action this weekend, with the women traveling to Erskine on Saturday, and then hosting UVA Wise Sunday. The men will also host UVA Wise on Sunday in the first home SAC match of the season.