FLORENCE, S.C. (Feb. 3) – In the opening dual match of the spring, the University of Mount Olive men's tennis program secured a 4-2 win over Bluefield State on the first day of the City of Florence Invitational on Friday afternoon.

With the win, the Trojans advance in the bracket to face Lenoir-Rhyne, tomorrow, Feb. 4, while improving to 1-1 overall in dual matches. Meanwhile, the Big Blue drops to 0-1 this season in their first action of the calendar year.

The Trojans captured the doubles points on Friday after winning two of the three matches. UMO opened the session with a victory by junior Guilherme Zotin de Oliveira and freshman Daniel Hammond by a 6-0 margin in the first slot over Juan Manuel De Freitas and Luis Agullo Diaz Munio. At the second position, junior Adam Ibrahim and freshman Oliver Winterhagen suffered a 6-1 loss to Teddy Razafindratsima and Jose Marquez. Freshman Bram Poel and sophomore Elios Briand earned a 6-3 victory against Fabian Avila-Torres and Merlin Mazalto in third doubles to seal the point.

UMO earned the match win by winning three of the six matches in singles play. In the first position, de Oliveira battled to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over Razafinsratsima, who ranked No. 12 in the Atlantic Region entering the season. Hammond followed with a 6-1, 7-5 victory in the second slot versus Avila-Torres before senior Israel Rodriguez Rojas fell by a 6-0, 6-1 margin to Diaz Munio at third singles. In the fourth position, Ibrahim dropped a 6-3, 1-6, 3-6 match versus Marquez. Poel registered a 6-2, 6-2 win at fifth singles over Mazalto before Briand held a 6-1 advantage in an unfinished match in the sixth position.

The Trojans are scheduled for two dual matches tomorrow, Feb. 4, at the City of Florence Invitational versus Lenoir-Rhyne and an opponent that is to be determined. The season-opening tournament resumes at 9 a.m.