INSTITUTE, W.Va. -- West Virginia State battled Fairmont State on the road Saturday, with the Yellow Jackets showing flashes of competitiveness despite falling in both the men's and women's matches.

On the women's side, West Virginia State was swept 7-0, but the Yellow Jackets opened the day with a strong showing in doubles. The duo of Maria Mercedes Kaltakian and Amanda Menendez Thomasson delivered the highlight, grinding out a 9-7 win at No. 1 doubles to give WVSU early momentum. In singles play, Kaltakian and Menendez Thomasson each competed tough, with Menendez Thomasson pushing her No. 2 singles match to three sets before narrowly falling in a hard-fought battle. Despite the final scoreline, WVSU showed resilience against a strong Fairmont State lineup.

In the men's match, West Virginia State dropped a 5-2 decision but earned two key singles victories. Niclas Naedele led the way with a straight-set win at No. 2 singles, while Facundo Campana Urcia added another point with a solid performance at No. 6. Several other matches were tightly contested, including a three-set battle at No. 1 singles by Forkane Lebdi and a competitive effort from Heinrich Lindeque at No. 4. Although the Yellow Jackets fell short, their ability to secure multiple singles wins highlighted a competitive effort against a strong Fairmont State squad.

The Salem Tigers will be paying us a visit at Marvin D. Mills Tennis Comlex Thursday, April 9.