Millersville

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Millersville University men's tennis team wasted no time picking up in the spring season where they left off in the fall.

The Marauders (5-0) opened the 2020 campaign with a victory at the University of the District of Columbia, 6-1. 

It was the first team match for Millersville since Sept. 17, 2019 at Jefferson. The Marauders won that match, 5-2, to clinch its first 4-0 start since the 2010-11 season. The strong start was rewarded with a No. 7 Atlantic Region ranking from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
• Carlos Martinez-Lucas, who entered the afternoon with a No. 6 Atlantic Region ranking, had a tough time with foe Kostiantyn Kalchev. Playing in flight one singles, Martinez-Lucas dropped his first team match of the season in straight sets, 4-6, 3-6. 
• Frank Yanni and Rodrigo Lorencin -- playing in flight two and flight three singles, respectively -- were also tested. Yanni was able to battle through for a straight-sets victory, 6-4, 6-4. Lorencin was pushed in the first set in his match against Juan Estevez Hernandez before securing a victory and ultimately winning in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4. 
• Ben Fellman snagged his first victory in the new year at flight four singles, defeating sophomore Maksim Bahdanovic, 6-4, 6-3. 
• Santiago Ramos (flight five) and Jose Alcazar (flight six) both dominated in singles action. Neither player dropped a point in their straight set victories. 
• The flight three duo of Fellman and Ramos opened the spring season with a 6-1 victory. Yanni and Lorencin followed shortly after to secure the team point at doubles, winning 6-4. 
• Martinez-Lucas paired with freshman Tony Yen for the first time in flight one doubles. The pair dropped their match, 4-6. 

QUOTABLE
"That was a great win today against a tough opponent. They were a tough team for us to start the spring with," head coach Matt Helsel said. "Frank Yanni and Rodrigo Lorencin really stepped up today, both in doubles and singles. Overall it was a very solid performance from top to bottom and a great way to start the semester."

NOTES
• Millersville is now 5-0 for the first time since the 1998-99 season. Coached by DeWitt Boyd, that Millersville team opened the season 7-0 and reached the third round of the NCAA tournament. 
• The Marauders improved to 3-0 in the all-time series against the University of the District of Columbia. 
• Yen made his Millersville debut. Yen, a freshman, played in flight one singles with Martinez-Lucas. 

UP NEXT
• The Marauders return to action on March 15 against Auburn University Montgomery. The match will be played in Orlando, FL. and will be the first of five matches played in a four day span.