LYNCHBURG, Va. – Dan Elston won his second straight match in singles, but the Longwood men's tennis team dropped its Big South opener to in-state foe Liberty, 6-1, Tuesday at the Sports Racket indoor facility. The Lancers fall to 0-6 on the season and 0-1 in conference play, while the Flames improve to 5-4 overall.

Liberty opened the match by taking the crucial doubles point with wins on courts one and three. On court three, Liberty's tandem of Egon Samaai and David Bush earned an 8-3 win over Bharani Sankar and Rosen Ilchev. Meanwhile, the Flames clinched the doubles point from the top of the lineup, as Dillon Segur and Diego Castano teamed up to defeat Dan Elston and Steed Johnson, 8-6.

The Lancers picked up a doubles victory from the No. 2 position, as Florian Uffer and Alfonso Castellano edged Jorge Azuero and Sam Matheson, 8-7 (5).

Liberty carried its momentum from doubles with three straight singles victories. Castano won the first singles match of the day at the fifth position over Lachlan Manser, 6-1, 6-0, before Uffer fell in straight sets at the No. 2 position to Matheson, 6-1, 6-4.

Liberty clinched the team victory with a win from Samaai at the third position, 6-1, 6-4.

Elston won his second straight match and third of the spring, as he earned a straight-set victory over Segur at the top of the order, 7-5, 6-3.

Azuero captured a win at the No. 4 position over Johnson, 6-2, 7-5, before Sankar fell in straight sets at the No. 6 spot, 6-2, 6-0, to Burgess.

Longwood will open its home slate Saturday, March 7 against UNC Asheville. The match is slated for a 1 p.m. start.  

Tennis Match Results
Longwood vs Liberty
Mar 03, 2015 at Lynchburg, Va.
(Sports Racket)
Liberty 6, Longwood 1

Singles competition
1. ELSTON, Dan (LWU) def. SEGUR, Dillon (LIBERTY) 7-5, 6-3
2. MATHESON, Sam (LIBERTY) def. UFFER, Florian (LWU) 6-1, 6-4
3. SAMAAI, Egon (LIBERTY) def. CASTELLANO, Alfonso (LWU) 6-1, 6-4
4. AZUERO, Jorge (LIBERTY) def. JOHNSON, Steed (LWU) 6-2, 7-5
5. CASTANO, Diego (LIBERTY) def. MANSER, Lachlan (LWU) 6-1, 6-0
6. BURGESS, Jason (LIBERTY) def. SANKAR, Bharani (LWU) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. SEGUR/CASTANO (LIBERTY) def. ELSTON/JOHNSON (LWU) 8-6
2. UFFER/CASTELLANO (LWU) def. AZUERO/MATHESON (LIBERTY) 8-7 (7-5)
3. SAMAAI/BUSH (LIBERTY) def. SANKAR/ILCHEV (LWU) 8-3

Match Notes:
Longwood 0-6
Liberty 5-4
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,2,3,1,4,6)
T-3:23

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