KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 55 Elon University men's tennis team completed its season-opening weekend with a 5-2 defeat at the hands of 17^th-ranked Tennessee Jan. 19 at the Tennessee Spring Invitational in Knoxville, Tenn.
 
The loss was the second in a span of three days for the Phoenix, which lost by the same margin to South Carolina Jan. 17 in Columbia, S.C.
 
The host Volunteers (3-0) made quick work of the Phoenix in doubles play, logging wins on all three courts. Andrew Dromsky and Jack Schipanski handled Elon's Juan Madrid and Robert Lindgren, 6-1, while a 6-3 Tennessee win over Jordan Kaufman and Chris Humphreys on court No. 2 clinched the point for the Volunteers.
 
On the No. 1 doubles court, Elon's top pairing of Stefan Fortmann and Brian Kowalski led the nation's second-ranked duo of Mikelis Libietis and Hunter Reese, 4-3, midway through the set but ultimately lost, 6-4.
 
"I was proud of the way (Fortmann) and (Kowalski) played and stayed competitive against one of the top doubles pairs in the nation," Elon head coach Michael Leonard said.
 
Kaufman earned a singles win for the Phoenix on court No. 5, where he defeated Schipanski, 6-4, 6-3. Madrid was trailing Tennessee's Brandon Fickey, 4-5, before Fickey was forced to retire due to an injury, giving Elon the point.
 
The Volunteers won in straight sets in all the remaining singles matches. No. 16 Libietis picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win over Fortmann, and Reese defeated Lindgren by the same margin on court No. 2.
 
Singles court Nos. 3 and 4 also finished in favor of the Volunteers, as Igor Smelyanski (7-5, 6-4) and Luis Valero (6-1, 6-2) beat Kowalski and Josh Luck, respectively.
 
Elon (0-2) travels next to Athens, Ga., to take part in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Kickoff Weekend Jan. 23-25. The Phoenix is scheduled to face No. 59 Utah Jan. 23 and either No. 8 Georgia or No. 63 Michigan State Jan. 24 and 25.
 
"We learned a lot this weekend," Leonard said. "We are looking forward to the ITA Kickoff Weekend and know that we have a lot to work on in preparation."
  
Tennis Match Results
Elon vs. Tennessee
Jan 19, 2015 at Knoxville, Tenn.
(Goodfriend Tennis Center)
 
#17 Tennessee 5, #55 Elon 2
 
Singles competition
 
1. #16 Mikelis Libietis (UT-M) def. Stefan Fortmann (ELON) 6-1, 6-3
2. Hunter Reese (UT-M) def. Robert Lindgren (ELON) 6-1, 6-3
3. Igor Smelyanski (UT-M) def. Josh Luck (ELON) 7-5, 6-4
4. Luis Valero (UT-M) def. Brian Kowalski (ELON) 6-1, 6-2
5. Jordan Kaufman (ELON) def. Jack Schipanski (UT-M) 6-4, 6-3
6. Juan Madrid (ELON) def. Brandon Fickey (UT-M) 4-5, retired
 
Doubles competition
 
1. #2 Mikelis Libietis/Hunter Reese (UT-M) def. Stefan Fortmann/Brian Kowalski (ELON) 6-4
2. Luis Valero/Igor Smelyanski (UT-M) def. Jordan Kaufman/Chris Humphreys (ELON) 6-3
3. Andrew Dromsky/Jack Schipanski (UT-M) def. Juan Madrid/Robert Lindgren (ELON) 6-1
 
Match Notes:
 
Elon 0-1; National ranking #55
Tennessee 2-0; National ranking #17
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,2,1,4,5,3)