YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. - The Lenoir-Rhyne Men's Tennis Team started off its 2023-24 season with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Young Harris.

Starting at doubles, the No. 3 team of Mattias Selde and Connor Donley took the breath away from their opponent, as the pair cruised to a 6-3 victory and secured the first win of the day. 

At the No. 2 spot, Zachary Cox and Connor Gibson had a slow start going down 5-0, however, the pair brought the match back to a 5-5 score. Ultimately, Young Harris pulled out the final two games and took the match, 7-5.
 
At No. 1 doubles, Rufus Plane and Vadym Rogynskyi secured the doubles point for the visitors with a 7-5 victory to give the Bears and early 1-0 lead.

In his first collegiate dual match, Connor Donley handled the No. 6 singles line with a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 win to give the Bears a 2-0 lead. Rogynskyi was not too far behind as he controlled the No. 3 singles match with a 6-3, 6-1 victory, which jumped the Bears out to a 3-0 lead.

Young Harris began to rally from the deficit after Joel Hemmings went down in No. 5 singles while Gibson suffered a straight-set loss at the No. 4 singles line. 

To clinch the match for the Bears, it was Plane who used a second-set tiebreaker to clinch the victory at the No. 3 line with a 6-3, 7-6 (6) result.

In the final match of day, Cox grinded out a three-set match but fell just short in a 5-7 third set, which ended the match at a 4-3 final.

The Lenoir-Rhyne Men's Tennis Team will return to the court on Saturday, Oct. 21 for their fall finale against Shaw in Raleigh, N.C.