NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The rain stayed away just long enough for the Christopher Newport men's tennis team to complete one of its best victories of the season, a 7-2 home triumph Tuesday afternoon against Atlantic South Region rival Salisbury. The Sea Gulls are ranked 9th in the Atlantic South region, just ahead of 10th ranked CNU.

The triumph was meaningful for the Captains (12-5), who have won six duals in a row. None of their current players had been on a team that defeated the Gulls (14-6), since CNU's last win in the annual series had come in 2007.

In doubles, CNU grabbed a 2-1 lead on an 8-1 triumph by Gian Heyer and senior Lorenzo Sison at No. 3 and an 8-3 victory by senior Dusty Nelson and Eric Shulman at No. 1.

Twice during doubles competition, a shower briefly prompted the men to quit playing points for a minute or so. But the surface never got wet enough to entice the players to leave the courts.

In singles, CNU sophomore Garrett Widing played possibly his best match of the season, drilling a barrage of groundstroke winners for a 6-2, 6-2 triumph against Daniel Barnas at the third spot to put the Captains ahead 3-1.

Shulman, ranked No. 4 in the nation in singles, handled Andrew Nottage 6-3, 6-2 at the top position. Heyer clinched the team victory with an impressive 6-1, 6-1 win over David Lupinetti, who had extended him to three sets during the Gulls' 6-3 victory over CNU in Salisbury, Md., last year.

CNU freshman Joey Manilla, who had lost his doubles match with Matt King earlier in the afternoon, bounced back to record a 6-4, 7-5 victory against Giorgio Athans at 5.

Henry Stuhler, the only Salisbury player to win in singles and doubles, rallied past Nelson 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 at 4. But Sison closed the day by winning the last 12 games in a 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 victory at 6 against Justin Smith.

Having beaten the likely second-best team in the Capital Athletic Conference (Salisbury), CNU next will try to defeat the best. The Captains play at nationally ranked Mary Washington on Thursday afternoon in Fredericksburg before heading to Burlington, N.C., for the USA South Athletic Conference tournament Friday through Sunday.


CNU 7, SALISBURY 2
Doubles
1. Dusty Nelson-Eric Shulman (CNU) d. Daniel Barnas-Andrew Nottage 8-3;
2. David Lupinetti-Henry Stuhler (SU) d. Matt King-Joey Manilla 8-3;
3. Gian Heyer-Lorenzo Sison (CNU) d. Giorgio Athans-Curtis Quandt 8-1.

Singles
1. Shulman (CNU) d. Nottage 6-3, 6-2;
2. Heyer (CNU) d. Lupinetti 6-1, 6-1;
3. Garrett Widing (CNU) d. Barnas 6-2, 6-2;
4. Stuhler (SU) d. Nelson 1-6, 6-1, 6-2;
5. Manilla (CNU) d. Athans 6-4, 7-5;
6. Sison (CNU) d. Justin Smith 5-7, 6-2, 6-0.

Records
Salisbury 14-6, CNU 12-5