BLACKSBURG, Va. – Longwood men's tennis opened its season Saturday against Division II power and regionally-ranked Bluefield State, ultimately falling to the Big Blue 4-3 in a neutral site battle.

"The way that I want them to play is not quite there at this point yet. We have a lot of room for improvement. I saw a lot of things we can definitely improve in the next couple of weeks," said first-year head coach Jhonnatan Medina Alvarez, who was making his coaching debut on Saturday.

"I think that we played a great team today. They had the tools and have been playing for a coach for a long time," Medina Alvarez said. "I'm positive that we're going to be able to turn things around and get this team back on the track that it belongs."

After a strong fall showing that included a doubles flight championship, junior Julian Farthing got the Lancers going in singles play with a full-set, comeback 3-6, 6-4 1-0 (10-2) decision over Schmieta. Fathing collected six singles wins over three fall tournaments and currently rides a four-match win streak entering the Mary Washington Invitational.

Second-year Lancer and veteran Jorge Godoy also claimed a three-set victory as he held off Lorenzo Panariti 6-2, 5-7, 1-0 (10-4). Godoy was also coming off a strong fall season in which he appeared in a flight championship and picked up seven wins.

On court No. 6, freshman Rosen Naydenov collected his first spring win as a Lancer – also in full-set form – by a 6-4, 4-6 1-0 (10-3) margin over Busse.

Despite the battles in singles play, the Lancers fell just shy behind two doubles victories from the Big Blue on courts 2 and 3.

Entering the season ranked as the No. 122 singles player in Division I, Amadeo Blasco teamed up with freshman Raisei Sakai for an 8-3 takedown of Bluefield State's Rudencio/Schmieta for the lone Lancer doubles victory.

Up next, the Lancers begin a tough February slate that entails trips to Division III powerhouse Mary Washington, East Carolina and former Big South foe Coastal Carolina. The Mary Washington Invitatiional begins Saturday as the Lancers take on the host Eagles before capping their stay with a bout versus Howard on Sunday.

Jan. 27, 2018
Bluefield State 4, Longwood 3
Blacksburg, Va.

Singles
1. Alexander Rudenco (BSC) def. Amadeo Blasco (LWU) 6-1, 7-5
2. Giorgi Datashvili (BSC) def. Raisei Sakai (LWU) 6-1, 6-2
3. Ignacio Pulido (BSC) def. Daniel Hernandez (LWU) 6-0, 6-2
4. Julian Farthing (LWU) def. Schmieta (BSC) 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-2)
5. Jorge Godoy (LWU) def. Lorenzo Panariti (BSC) 6-2, 5-7, 1-0 (10-4)
6. Rosen Naydenov (LWU) def. Busse (BSC) 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-3)

Doubles
1. Amadeo Blasco/Raisei Sakai (LWU) def. Rudenco/Schmieta (BSC) 8-3
2. Oulido/Figuriere (BSC) def. Farthing/Lachlan Manser (LWU) 8-1
3. Datashvili/Busse (BSC) def. Hernandez/Godoy (LUW) 8-5

Longwood: 0-1
(Atlantic #1) Bluefield State: 1-0

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