SURPRISE, Ariz.— The UC Riverside Men's Tennis Team got the season started perfectly as the Highlanders swept Ottawa-Arizona 7-0 Friday afternoon in the first contest of a four match weekend. UCR only lost one set on the day giving the team five straight set victories.

"It's a great feeling to open up the season with a win on the road, especially when each player is victorious," Head Coach Mattias Johansson said. "Now we have all gained some confidence heading into tomorrow's double-header."

The Highlanders got out to a quick start in the match claiming the doubles points with three doubles wins. The team of juniors Nabil Abdallah and Gilbert Chung was the first off the court taking a 6-2 win on court two and the point would be sealed as the new duo of sophomore Vignesh Subrmanyan and freshman Andreas Whelan-Merediz earned a 6-4 win on court three. 

After a successful season together last year, the team of senior Kyle McCann and sophomore Filip Engstrom reunited as the Highlander pair earned its first win of the new year 7-6 on court one.

Abdallah made quick work of his opponent in singles play taking the match 6-2, 6-0 on court two, and sophomore David Ramirez would put his team up 3-0 on court five with his first ever collegiate victory. Whelan-Merediz would also earn his first collegiate wins in both singles and doubles.

Subramanyan was the next to finish sealing the 4-0 win for the Highlanders as the sophomore earned a 6-3, 6-0 win on court four. 

Chung and Whelan-Merediz would take straight set victories as well and McCann would battle to a three-set win to give UCR its first sweep in its first match.

UC Riverside will now look to keep thing rolling on the road tomorrow at Arizona Christian and Grand Canyon.