TULSA, Okla. – In its first match in 11 days, the IUPUI men’s tennis team showed no signs of rust as it opened Summit League action with a convincing 6-1 win over Oral Roberts Friday afternoon.

 

The Golden Eagles, who are the reigning Summit League conference tournament champions, were picked to finish second in the 2011 Preseason Summit League Men’s Tennis poll, one spot ahead of the Jaguars.

 

The Jags got off to a slow start with Bren Vasalakis and Joe Hammond falling by a score of 8-4 in No. 1 doubles action, but IUPUI’s No. 2 doubles tandem of Nick Volz and Joel Modesitt evened things at one match apiece with an 8-6 win.

 

In the decisive third doubles match, Dan Klingenberg and Ivan Mojsejev duplicated the efforts of Volz and Modesitt and used an 8-6 victory to lift the Jaguars to the 1-0 lead.

 

In just his second match back from injury, Taylor Tunis quickly pushed the Jags lead to 2-0 winning his singles match at the No. 6 position, 6-0, 6-0.

 

A small set back ensued with Volz falling at the No. 2 position, 6-1, 6-4, but Mojsejev and Chase Emerson each stepped up at the No. 1 and No. 5 positions, respectively, with a pair of 6-3, 6-3, wins to clinch the conference-opening win.

 

With the outcome already decided, Klingenberg and Modesitt were in front one set to none with identical 7-6 wins in their opening sets before each picked up wins by default leading to the 6-1 final outcome.

 

IUPUI continues its tough start to Summit League play when it heads to Kansas City, Mo., to meet UMKC on Saturday, March 26. The Kangaroos were the preseason favorite to claim this year's regular-season title.