COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Metropolitan State University of Denver men's tennis team tested the waters against a Division I opponent on Monday, taking on the Air Force Falcons in a dual match on the base of the U.S. Air Force Academy. The Roadrunners battled against a tough team, but fell by a final score of 6-1.

"The guys fought hard today but didn't quite get the result," MSU Denver head coach Josh Graetz said following the match. "Credit to Air Force as they were better in the big moments. I think we learned some valuable lessons today. We have to be relentless in every single moment, otherwise teams will take advantage."

Junior Daniel Llorente was responsible for the Roadrunners' point, earning a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Falcon Robert Baylon in No. 3 singles. Llorente teamed up with sophomore Kacey Walisundara in No. 2 doubles, but Baylon and Isaac Perez pulled out a 6-3 win over the pair of Roadrunners.

Senior Joey Tscherne also gave Patrick Sklenka a run in No. 1 singles, but came up just short in a 6-4, 6-4 loss. Tscherne and doubles partner Mateo Besada gave Sklenka and partner Tadhg Collins a run in the No. 1 slot, but the Falcon pair eventually came out on top by a score of 7-6 (2).

In No. 2 singles, junior Alejandro Martinez-Morilla unleashed a comeback on opponent Luke Sanderson as he won the second set 7-6 after falling 6-1 in the first. Sanderson edged Martinez-Morilla in the final frame, 6-4, to steal the victory.

Freshman David Kijak hung tough in his second dual match appearance as a Roadrunner but ultimately fell to Air Force's James Scotty by a 7-5, 6-2 count.

While a dual loss is always a tough pill to swallow, Graetz knows there's a lot more growth in store for the men's squad. The Roadrunners will be back in competition on Feb. 15, traveling to Greeley, Colo., to take on another Division I opponent in Southern Utah. Two days later, MSU Denver will play a dual match doubleheader against Colorado Mesa and Western New Mexico in St. George, Utah.

"I'm excited to get back on the practice court," Graetz said in anticipation of the upcoming competition schedule.

MSU Denver Tennis Results – Monday, Feb. 4, 2019

MEN
Singles
No. 1 | Sklenka (AFA) def. Tscherne (MSUD), 6-4, 6-4
No. 2 | Sanderson (AFA) def. Martinez-Morilla (MSUD), 6-1, 6-7 (6), 6-4
No. 3 | Llorente (MSUD) def. Baylon (AFA), 6-4, 6-3
No. 4 | Hendrix (AFA) def. Besada (AFA), 6-1, 6-0
No. 5 | Scotty (AFA) def. Kijak (MSUD), 7-5, 6-2
No. 6 | Perez (AFA) def. Walisundara (MSUD), 6-0, 6-1

Doubles
No. 1 | Collins & Sklenka (AFA) def. Tscherne & Besada (MSUD), 7-6 (2)
No. 2 | Perez & Baylon (AFA) def. Llorente & Walisundara (MSUD), 6-3
No. 3 | Hendrix & Bautista (AFA) def. Kijak & Martinez-Morilla (MSUD), 6-3