GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Joey Tscherne, Daniel Llorente, Alejandro Martinez Morilla and Mateo Besada all won twice to lead the MSU Denver men to a 5-2 non-conference dual tennis win Thursday at Colorado Mesa.
 
Meanwhile the Metropolitan State University of Denver also won 5-2 over Mesa, though the Roadrunners had to overcome losing all three doubles matches to do it.
 
"The men came out really strong in doubles and executed well," MSU Denver coach Josh Graetz said, "Our ability to dictate and play to our strengths throughout the entirety of the match was a big reason why we were able to get the win."
 
Tscherne won his No. 1 singles match against Max Lindqvist 6-3, 7-6 (4) and teamed with Besada in No. 1 doubles for a 7-6 (3) win over William Agritelley and Moises Cure. Besada won his No. 5 singles match with Christian Albrechtsen 6-2, 6-2.
 
Llorente played No. 2 singles and defeated Cure 6-1, 7-5 and paired with Kasey Walisundara for a 6-2 doubles win over Lindqvist and Albrechtsen. Martinez Morilla beat Alain De La Bastide 6-3, 6-3 in No. 3 singles and joined David Kijak to win at No. 2 doubles over De La Bastide and Lucas Martin 6-3.
 
The Roadrunners' women won 5 of 6 singles matches, including Ainsley Winterrowd's three-set victory over Taylor Hershey at No. 5 by a 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 count. No. 1 singles player Tabitha Porter was knocked off in three sets by Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference preseason player of the year Kristen Kirby 2-6, 6-2, 6-1.
 
"The women came out really flat in doubles and Mesa was able to capitalize," Graetz said. "We need to realize that energy from the get-go is so important.
 
"What was most pleasing though was how we responded and took the lead in all of the singles matches. Our energy and focus were really great against a quality opponent."
 
The MSU Denver women play again Sunday in a 4 p.m. dual at Air Force, while both the men and women play host to NAIA Concordia (Neb.) on Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Regency Athletic Complex.
 
MSU Denver and Colorado Mesa meet again in a dual that counts for the RMAC standings on April 5 at the Regency Athletic Complex.
 
Thursday's results:
 
MEN
MSU Denver 5, Colorado Mesa 2
 
Singles
No. 1: Joey Tscherne (MSUD) def. Max Lindqvist 6-3, 7-6 (4)
No. 2: Daniel Llorente (MSUD) def. Moises Cure 6-1, 7-5
No. 3: Aleandro Martinez Morilla (MSUD) def. Alain De La Bastide 6-3, 6-3
No. 4: Lucas Martin (CMU) def. David Kijak 6-3, 6-4
No. 5: Mateo Besada (MSUD) def. Christian Albrechtsen 6-2, 6-2
No. 6: William Agritelley (CMU) def. Kacey Walisundara 6-1, 6-1
 
Doubles
No. 1: Tscherne-Besada (MSUD) def. Agritelley-Cure 7-6 (3)
No. 2: Kijak-Martinez Morilla (MSUD) def. De La Bastide-Martin 6-3
No. 3: Llorente-Walisundara (MSUD) def. Linqvist-Albrechtsen 6-2
 
WOMEN
MSU Denver 5, Colorado Mesa 2
 
Singles
No. 1: Kristen Kirby (CMU) def. Tabitha Porter 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
No. 2: Alex Pessoa (MSUD) def. Emily Beckley 6-1, 6-4
No. 3: Eliza McKean (MSUD) def. Rebecca Osterberg 6-4, 6-3
No. 4: Helena Steenberg (MSUD) def. Georgia Hansen 6-1, 6-1
No. 5: Ainsley Winterrowd (MSUD) def. Taylor Hershey 6-7, 7-6, 6-4
No. 6: Olivia Kaiser (MSUD) def. Maike Waldburger 6-4, 6-0
 
Doubles
No. 1: Kirby-Beckley (CMU) def. Porter-Steenberg 6-4
No. 2: Osterberg-Hershey (CMU) def. Pessoa-Winterrowd 6-1
No. 3: Hansen-Walkdbuger (CMU) def. McKean-Mackenzie Hotan 6-2