SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- Facing one of the top teams in the region and in the whole of NCAA Division III in 2024-25, the Christopher Newport men's tennis team waged an impressive battle against the 13th-ranked Swarthmore College Garnet (9-5) before suffering a 7-0 defeat. The Captains fell to 10-7 overall following the setback, which featured four sets stretched to a decisive seventh game in singles play. 

The Captains dropped the doubles point as nationally-ranked Michael Melnikov and Utham Koduri picked up the win at No. 1 for Swarthmore. The hosts swept the three doubles bouts with a 6-2 win at No. 2 and a 6-3 victory at No. 3. 

In singles play, the Captains put up a tremendous fight against the Garnet Melnikov faced the Captains' top player at No. 1, Vincent Truong, and the two were entwined in a marathon matchup. Melnikov won the first set, 7-5, before holding on for a tiebreak victory in the second set, 7-6 (7-1). 

CNU sophomore Nesh Kumaresan also stretched his opponent at No. 3 to a seventh game before suffering a 7-5, 6-2 loss to lalith Suresh. At No. 4, Ashton Legum pushed Rishi Verma to a seventh game in the second set but suffered a 6-4, 7-5 setback. Finally, Gabe Smith captured the lone set victory of the day for CNU when he won the second set against Kai Chen at No. 5. Chen managed to hold off Smith and earned a 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (10-6) win for the Garnet. 

CNU also got starts from Ryan Monroe at No. 2 and Rainer Christiansen at No. 6. In doubles, Truong played with Legum at No. 1 and Smith paired up with Edvard Porsmyr Hansen at No. 2. Christiansen and Seretis matched up at No. 3 for the Captains.