FROSTBURG, Md. - The West Virginia State University men's tennis team edged Frostburg State, 4-3, on the road Tuesday. The victory marked the third win for WVSU during the 2021-22 season and first win against a Mountain East Conference opponent.

The Bobcats won the first match at No. 3 doubles to create must-win situations for the Yellow Jackets in the other two doubles pairings. Paulo Gutierrez and Elias Valencia did their job of finishing off their opponents, 6-4, at No. 2 doubles next. The No. 1 doubles match became the decisive match afterwards. West Virginia State's Alex Cottrell and Mateo Flores battled to narrowly win, 7-5, against Frostburg State's No. 1 pair and claim the doubles point for WVSU.

The Yellow Jackets had to forfeit at No. 6 singles and were left with only five matches to pick up three points. The No. 5 singles match finished first with FSU taking the point and leaving WVSU with just four matches to pick up three points. Flores and Valencia picked up two of the necessary points at No. 4 and No. 3 singles, respectively, in the next two matches to finish. 

Both the No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches went to third sets. West Virginia State needed to win one of those matches to capture the team win. At No. 2 singles, Gutierrez won the first set, lost the second and was barely beaten, 7-6, in the third. At. No. 1 singles, Cottrell dropped the first set to make winning the next two sets absolutely crucial. He did not disappoint and won the next two sets easily, 6-3, 6-2, to help his team to victory.

Doubles
Order of finish: 3,2,1
1. Alex Cottrell / Mateo Flores (WVSU) def. Desire Johnson / Origen Grear (FSU), 7-5
2. Paulo Gutierrez / Elias Valencia (WVSU) def. Eli Best / Mason Hordubay (FSU), 6-4
3. Caleb Beidle / Del Carden (FSU) def. Alex Anderson / Chafe Kave (WVSU), 6-1

Singles
Order of finish: 5,4,3,1,2
1. Alex Cottrell (WVSU) def. Origen Grear (FSU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. Desire Johnson (FSU) def. Paulo Gutierrez (WVSU), 2-6, 6-4, 7-6
3. Elias Valencia (WVSU) def. Del Carden (FSU), 6-4, 6-2
4. Mateo Flores (WVSU) def. Caleb Beidle (FSU), 6-1, 6-4
5. Matt Bolen (FSU) def. Chafe Kave (WVSU), 6-1, 6-2
6. Eli Best (FSU) wins by forfeit

The West Virginia State men's tennis team will wrap up its season at Fairmont State on Saturday, April 23rd. The road match is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.