Morgan State University Athletics

LYNCHBURG, Va. -- The Morgan State men's tennis team is still in search of its first win of the season. The Bears fell to the Liberty Flames 5-1 inside the Sports Racket on Friday night in Lynchburg, Va.

With the loss, the Bears fall to 0-5 for the season and drops to 4-0 all-time against Liberty.

The Bears jumped out to a 1-0 advantage after winning two of the three doubles matches. The Flames captured the first contest when Egon Samaai and Dillon Segur defeated Dmitriy Borodkin and Jannick Tash, 8-2, in the No. 2 position.

Morgan State rallied to take the remaining two doubles tilts. Joshua and Ty Abraham ousted Sergio Mourelo and Guillem Secanell, 8-4, before Duk Young-Park and Evan Ward upset Liberty's No. 19 ranked pair of Shea Thomas and Jorge Azuero, 8-7 (7).

"Duk and Evan had a historic win in doubles by beating the #19 doubles team in the country," said MSU coach Sean Holcomb-Jones.  "To beat a Top-20 nationally ranked team is an amazing accomplishment and really shows what level they can play at when they are at their best."
 
"Our freshmen twins the Abrahams also stepped up big to help us win the doubles point," added Holcomb-Jones. "It was their first collegiate win in doubles together. Unfortunately we were unable to keep up our momentum thru singles to pick up the team win."

Liberty (4-4) responded in a big way in singles play. Thomas bounced back from the doubles loss to Young-Park with a 6-1, 6-2 victory in the No. 1 position.

Samaai pushed Liberty in front by knocking off Ward in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, in the No. 2 spot.

Azuero extended the Flames' edge to 3-1 with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 3 against Ty Abraham. Stan Vaughan followed with the clinching point in the No. 5 position. The senior ousted Tash, 6-3, 6-1.

Alejandro Llamas finished off the singles sweep with Liberty's fifth straight-set win, 6-4, 6-4, over Joshua Abraham in the No. 4 spot.

Morgan State begins Mid-Eastern Conference play when it hosts the Hampton Pirates on March 7.

Liberty 5, Morgan State 1

DOUBLES
1. Duk Young-Park/Evan Ward (MSU) def. Shea Thomas/Jorge Azuero (LU), 8-7 (7)
2. Dillon Segur/Egon Samaai (LU) def. Dmitriy Borodkin/Jannick Tash (MSU), 8-2
3. Joshua Abraham/Ty Abraham (MSU) def. Sergio Mourelo/Guillem Secanell (LU), 8-4
 
SINGLES
1. Shea Thomas (LU) def. Duk Young-Park (MSU), 6-1, 6-2
2. Egon Samaai (LU) def. Evan Ward (MSU), 6-4, 6-2
3. Jorge Azuero (LU) def. Ty Abraham (MSU), 6-1, 6-0
4. Alejandro Llamas (LU) def Joshua Abraham (MSU), 6-4, 6-4
5. Stan Vaughan (LU) def Jannick Tash (MSU), 6-3, 6-1
6. Dillon Segur (LU) def. . Dmitriy Borodkin (MSU), DNF