DENVER – The Metropolitan State University of Denver tennis team started its spring season on Friday, going 1-1 on the day. The men defeated Oklahoma Baptist, 5-2, in Colorado Springs, Colo., while the women dropped a 6-1 decision in Greeley, Colo., at Division I Northern Colorado.

"The guys came out with great energy in doubles and that translated into singles," MSU Denver head coach Josh Graetz said Friday. "I was really proud of the fight against a really solid team."

Junior Alejandro Martinez-Morilla led the way for the men's squad with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory over OBU's Gianlucca Galdi in No. 2 singles. Sophomore Daniel Llorente picked up an easy win in No. 3 singles, downing Matias Le Fort, 6-1, 6-3.

Freshman David Kijak was a winner in his first singles match as a Roadrunner, defeating Rhett Rollins by a 6-4, 6-2 count. Sophomore Kacey Walisundara also picked up a singles win (7-5, 6-1).

The MSU Denver men also won the doubles point to go with the four singles wins. Senior Joey Tscherne and junior Mateo Besada defeated Oklahoma Baptist's Le Fort and Andrés Graterol, 6-3, in their first match as a doubles pair. Martinez-Morilla and Kijak, also playing together for the first time in official competition, downed another Bison duo 6-1.

On the women's side, freshman Helena Steenberg picked up MSU Denver's lone singles win with a victory over Sarina Chhabra (6-3, 6-3). Sophomore Alex Pessoa dropped a close match against Madeline Doherty (6-4, 6-4), while junior Tabitha Porter fell to UNC's Anna Battersby by a score of 6-4, 6-1.

"The women came up against a strong opposition that executed better in the big moments," Graetz said. "We will learn from this and move on to the next match."

The women won't have to wait long, as they'll face Oklahoma Baptist in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Saturday at 9 a.m. MT. The men will be in action again on Monday for a dual against Division I Air Force at 4 p.m. in Colorado Springs.

MSU Denver Tennis Results -- Friday, Feb. 1, 2019

MEN: def. Oklahoma Baptist, 5-2

Singles
No. 1 | Andrusch (OBU) def. Tscherne (MSUD), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 | Martinez-Morilla (MSUD) def. Galdi (OBU), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
No. 3 | Llorente (MSUD) def. Le Fort (OBU), 6-1, 6-3
No. 4 | Graterol (OBU) def. Besada (MSUD), 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
No. 5 | Kijak (MSUD) def. Rollins (OBU), 6-4, 6-2
No. 6 | K. Walisundara (MSUD) def. Parker (OBU), 6-1, 7-5

Doubles
No. 1 | Tscherne & Besada (MSUD) def. Le Fort & Graterol (OBU), 6-3
No. 2 | Rollins & Galdi (OBU) def. Llorente & Walisundara (MSUD), 7-6 (7-4)
No. 3 | Martinez-Morilla & Kijak (MSUD) def. Parker & Andrusch (OBU), 6-1

WOMEN: lost to Northern Colorado, 6-1

Singles
No. 1 | Anna Battersby (UNC) def. Tabitha Porter (MSUD), 6-4, 6-1
No. 2 | Sandra Keta (UNC) def. Eliza McKean (MSUD), 6-1, 6-1
No. 3 | Raffa Mora (UNC) def. Ainsley Winterrowd (MSUD), 6-3, 6-4
No. 4 | Madeline Doherty (UNC) def. Alex Pessoa (MSUD), 6-3, 6-3
No. 5 | Helena Steenberg (MSUD) def. Sarina Chhabra (UNC), 6-3, 6-3
No. 6 | Synclair Larson (UNC), def. Olivia Kaiser (UNC), 6-2, 6-2

Doubles
No. 1 | Mora & Keta (UNC) ret. Porter & Steenberg (MSUD), 4-4
No. 2 | Battersby & Doherty (UNC) def. McKean & Pessoa (MSUD), 6-4
No. 3 | Chhabra & Larson (UNC) def. Hotan & Kaiser (MSUD), 6-4