CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — Tennis coach Kyle Caven got to see his teams in action for the first time Saturday, Sept. 12, as CU hosted the pre-season Campbellsville Classic.

Union College, as well as Mid-South Conference rivals Lindsey Wilson College, Cumberland University and St. Catharine College all entered competitors for the pre-season, pre-ITA Regionals showdown.

In the men's singles competition, returning All-American Vladyslav Ladygin won his first match against Thiago Lopes of Cumberland University, 6-4, 6-4. He lost in the final to Lindsey Wilson's Denis Porcic, 4-6, 2-6. Caven says he is happy with Ladygin's play.

"He has been playing well all summer," said Caven. "I think he is on track to make a good showing at the ITA's."

Caven was also impressed by the play of two key returners, senior Eduardo Mendoza and junior Zach Baulch. Mendoza fell in his first match of the No. 3 flight to Cumberland U's Axel Lucich, 7-5. 3-6 (10-6), and lost a hard-fought consolation match to Union's Tiago Gil, 1-6, 6-1 (10-6). Baulch played as CU's No. 4, and beat LWC's Alejandro Tellez, 6-4, 1-6 (10-8) to advance to the flight final. There he fell to Jakov Tshirkin of Cumberland University by a score of 6-1, 7-5.

"Mendoza and Baulch were both really impressive in their opening matches," said Caven. "They have been working very hard, and it's good to see them compete at such a good level.

Complete singles results are below:

Singles

1. Vladyslav Ladygin (Cville) def. Thiago Lopes (Cumb), 6-4, 6-4.
   Denis Porcic (LWC) def. Vladyslav Ladygin (Cville), 6-4, 6-2.
2. Adrian Frutos (Union) def. Alejandro Soriano (Cville), 7-6, 6-1.
3. Axel Lucich (Cumb) def. Eduardo Mendoza (Cville), 7-5, 3-6 (10-6).
   Consolation match: Eduardo Mendoza (Cville) def. Tiago Gil (Union), 1-6, 6-1, 10-8.
4. Zach Baulch (Cville) def. Alejandro Tellez (LWC), 6-4, 1-6 (10-8).
   Jakov Tshirkin (Cumb) def. Zach Baulch (Cville), 6-1, 7-5.
5. Alejandro Rosas Garcia (Cumb) def. Alfredo Bencid (Cville), 6-2, 6-4.
   Dylan Nelson (Cumb) def. Noah Swencki (Cville), 6-3, 2-6 (10-5)
   Consolation match: Dylan Nelson (Cumb) def. Alfredo Bencid (Cville), 8-7 (7-5).

The Tigers came away with one victory in doubles play, as Noah Swencki/Alex Spalding teamed up to win in the 3^rd spot, 8-6. Complete doubles results are below.

Doubles

1. Thiago Lopes/Anatoliy Lashkul (Cumb) def. Alejandro Soriano/Vladslav Ladygin (Cville), 8-6.
   Consolation match: Alejandro Soriano/Vladslav Ladygin (Cville) def. Ethan Dye/ AdrianFrutos (Union), 8-4.
2. Ignacio Huertas/Alonso Tellez (LW) def. Zach Baulch/Eduardo Mendoza (Cville), 8-4. Consolation match: Zach Baulch/Eduardo Mendoza (Cville) def. Tiago Gil/Ethan Wright (Union), 8-6.
3. Alejandro Rosas Garcia/Dylan Nelson (Cumb) def. Noah Swencki/Alfredo Bencid (Cville), 8-6. Noah Swencki/Alex Spalding (Cville) def. Alejandro Rosas Garcia/Dylan Nelson (Cumb), 8-6.

The Lady Tigers, a team full of newcomers, also made their debut Saturday. Caven is pleased with what he saw.

"We are happy with where our girls are at right now," said Caven. "We have put a big focus on consistency these first couple of weeks and it's paying off in practice now."

Freshman Majella Nobile took on a very competitive Angelica Sepulveda of Cumberland U., falling in No. 1 singles 7-6, 6-2.

"She made a good showing against Sepulveda and she will continue to grow this semester," said Caven of Nobile. "The development is coming along nicely."

In the 2, 3, and 4 singles flights, Lady Tigers' Bolor  Enkhbayar, Jade Letheby, and Elizabeth Boik took defeats in their first matches, but each came back to win their respective consolation matches.

Sarah Coffman, playing No. 6, defeated her opponent Lydia Tackett of St. Catharine, 6-0. 6-1.

Singles

1. Angelica Sepulveda (Cumb) def. Majella Nobile (Cville), 7-6. 6-2.
   Consolation match: Majella Nobile (Cville) def. Sofie Esteban (SCC) , 6-0, 6-1.
2. Fiona Curty (LWC) def. Bolor  Enkhbayar (Cville), 6-0, 6-1.
   Consolation match: Bolor Enkhbayar (Cville) def. Irris Porras (SCC), 6-0, 6-0.
3. Sarah Edwards (Cumb) def. Jade Letheby (Cville), 6-1. 6-2.
   Consolation match: Jade Letheby (Cville) def. Erin Pigman (SCC), 6-1. 6-1.
4. Jessica King (LWC) def. Elizabeth Boik (Cville), 6-3, 6-1.
   Consolation match: Elizabeth Boik (Cville) def. Erika Broady (Union), 6-2, 6-1.
5. Sarah Coffman (Cville) def. Lydia Tackett (SCC), 6-0, 6-1.

Caven was also happy with the Lady Tiger doubles play. "Doubles is a big opportunity for us and I think we have a lot of potential in that area," he said.

Although the pairs of Enkhbayar/Nobile and Letheby/Boik took losses, they played well. Complete doubles results are below.

Doubles

1. Henar Munoz/Fiona Curty (LW) def. Enkhbayar/Nobile (Cville), 8-1.
   Angelica Sepulveda, Tarsha Desouza (Cumb) def. Enkhbayar/Nobile (Cville), 8-4.
2. Natalie Kattah/Jessica King (LW) def.  Elizabeth Boik/Jade Letheby (Cville), 8-0.
   Consolation match: Elizabeth Boik/Jade Letheby (Cville) def.

The Tigers and Lady Tigers will return to the courts in two weeks for the fall ITA Southeast Regional tournament, held at Georgetown College Sept. 24-27.