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BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – In its first match of the spring season, the USC Upstate men's tennis team downed Gardner-Webb, 5-2, Thursday afternoon at the Webb Tennis Complex.

The Spartans (1-0) opened the contest by claiming the doubles point after sweeping all three doubles matches.  Matthias Kidler and Ramiro Blanco defeated the duo of Ernest Alberch and Jao Poli, 8-4, at doubles No.1.

Yvon Haessig/Pierre Vernin up-ended Adam Knutsson-Sundblad/Korhan Ates, 8-3, at doubles No. 2.  At doubles No. 3, Gonzalo Blanco and Jacob Darling blanked GWU's (0-2) duo of Roman Piftor and Matthew Parker, 8-0.

In singles action, the Spartans won four of the six matches to pick up the victory.  At singles No. 1, Matthias Kidler won in straight sets (6-4, 7-5) over Korhan Ates.  Ramiro Blanco also picked up a straight-set victory, 6-2, 6-1, as he defeated Adam Knutsson-Sundblad.

Pierre Vernin rallied for a three-set victory over Joao Poli at singles No. 5.  Tyler Grove, like Kidler and Vernin, picked up his first win as a Spartan Thursday.  Grove defeated Brendan Dempsey, 6-3, 6-2 at singles No. 6.

The Spartans will return to action Feb. 2 when they host Anderson University at the Upstate Tennis Complex.