Valdosta, Ga. – Lynn University's sixth-ranked men's tennis team had a tall task on Saturday for its first road match of the season, but the Fighting Knights secured a big early-season victory by knocking off fourth-ranked Valdosta St., 5-4.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Lynn 5, Valdosta St. 4
Records: #6 Lynn (4-0), #4 Valdosta St. (1-1)
Location: VSU Tennis Courts | Valdosta, Ga.
All-Time Series: Lynn leads 9-8
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HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Blazers took the top doubles flight, 8-2, but the Fighting Knights countered to grab a 2-1 lead heading into singles.
• Kay Bartmann and Jose Porfirio Ordonez won at No. 2 doubles over the 15^th-ranked team in the country, 8-3, while Gabriel Hocevar and Tristan Houle came through at No. 3, 8-6.
• The sides split the singles matchups evenly but the Fighting Knights posted the five points they needed for the win.
• 25^th-ranked Bartmann knocked off yet another ranked opponent at the top singles flight, this time upsetting 14^th-ranked Jordi Mas in a tight third set (6-4, 4-6, 7-5),
• Florian Clemares and Hocevar notched Lynn's final two points in straight sets. Clemares bested Fernando Rivas at No. 3, 6-3, 6-4 with Hocevar winning the No. 5 matchup with a pair of 6-2 frames.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• The win is Lynn's first over VSU since 2015. Valdosta St. beat Lynn 5-4 last season in Boca Raton and 5-3 the year before in Georgia.
• Lynn now has three wins over top-5 opponents in the past two seasons.
• VSU's Rivas played for the Fighting Knights in 2015.

UP NEXT:
Lynn remains in Valdosta, Ga. tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 11, taking on West Florida in a neutral-site matchup contest.