NORFOLK, Va. - Christopher Newport lost two men's tennis matches to Division I teams Sunday but was quite competitive, especially in the first one.

The Captains (3-2) completed their opening weekend of play by falling 5-2 to Richmond in a five-hour match before losing 7-0 to Old Dominion, both at ODU's Folkes-Stevens Indoor Tennis Center.

Against the Spiders, the Captains won one of three doubles matches that counted toward the doubles point, which UR won. Dusty Nelson and Eric Shulman won 8-7 (7-4) at the No. 2 spot, and Robbie Wagner and Tom Whaling earned an 8-3 exhibition (No. 4) victory.

Richmond's Jesse Feder and A.J. Nelson clinched the point by edging Gian Heyer and Lorenzo Sison 9-7.

In singles, UR and CNU played four three-setters.
Richmond No. 1 Sebastien Fauchet held off Shulman 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 6-4 to put the Spiders ahead 3-0, but CNU pulled within 3-2 as Garrett Widing gutted out a 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 triumph at No. 2, followed by Heyer's 6-0, 5-7, 7-6 (7-2) victory at 4.

Heyer's match was a roller coaster. He led 5-3 in the second set and held match point, but A.J. Nelson came back to force a third set.

Heyer went ahead 5-0 and served for the match three times, but Nelson broke him on each occasion and pulled ahead 6-5. The Swiss sophomore then steadied himself and held serve, then won a tiebreaker.

Richmond clinched the match when Rafael Arana rallied from a service break behind in the third set to edge Dusty Nelson 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).

ODU then defeated Richmond 5-1 and moved on to play CNU.

The Captains led 4-1 at No. 2 doubles, with Heyer and Sison, and 4-3 at No. 1, with Shulman and Dusty Nelson, before yielding to their more experienced opposition. Since joining the Colonial Athletic Association, ODU never has failed to reach the conference tournament semifinals, though the Monarchs never have taken the title.

In singles, Wagner earned the most games, dropping a 6-2, 6-3 decision to Alfredo Rodriguez at No. 6.

CNU will return to action against another Division I team next Saturday afternoon, traveling to Fairfax to play George Mason on indoor courts.

RICHMOND 5, CNU 2
Doubles
1. Jesse Feder-A.J. Nelson (UR) d. Gian Heyer-Lorenzo Sison 9-7.
2. Dusty Nelson-Eric Shulman (CMU) d. Sebastien Fauchet-Dylan Schrode 8-7 (7-4).
3. Rafael Arana-William Minter d. Kyle Tobin-Garrett Widing 8-5.
(UR wins doubles point)
Singles
1. Fauchet (UR) d. Shulman 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 6-4.
2. Widing (CNU) d. Minter 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.
3. Feder (UR) d. Sison 6-1, 6-3.
4. Heyer (CNU) d. A.J. Nelson 6-0, 5-7, 7-6 (7-2).
5. Arana (UR) d. D. Nelson 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).
6. Baker (UR) d. Tobin 6-3, 6-2.

OLD DOMINION 7, CNU 0
Doubles
1. Tobias Fanselow-Ben Chomette (ODU) d. Dusty Nelson-Eric Shulman 8-4.
2. Yakov Diskin-Krys Muzalewski (ODU) d. Gian Heyer-Lorenzo Sison 8-4.
3. Fahoum Fahoum-Alfredo Rodriguez (ODU) d. Tom Whaling-Dylan Young 8-3
(ODU wins doubles point).
Singles
1. Fanselow d. Shulman 6-2, 6-2.
2. Chomette d. Garrett Widing 6-2, 6-0.
3. Muzalewski d. Heyer 6-1, 6-2.
4. Albert Ochagavia d. Sison 6-2, 6-2.
5. Fahoum d. Nelson 6-0, 6-1.
6. Rodriguez d. Robbie Wagner 6-2, 6-3.
Records
CNU 3-2, ODU 10-2.