NEW HAVEN, Conn.-The Fairfield University men's tennis team took at a quick trip north on I-95 on Saturday to open its 2024 dual match slate in New Haven against Yale University at the Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center, and the host Bulldogs (1-0) defeated the Stags (0-1), 7-0.

Yale got off to a quick start in Saturday's season opening dual match for both squads going 3-0 in doubles to earn that point.  Playing number two doubles, the Stags' paring of Kostas Kollias and Keean Shah played well, but fell to the Yale team of Vignesh Gogineni and Dylan Tsoi, 5-7.

In singles' action, Thomas Smart battled playing number one on Saturday taking on the Bulldogs' Vignesh Gogineni falling 5-7 in the opening set and 3-6 in set two.

At number three, Nick Condos forced a tie-breaker in the opening set which he lost, 7-9, as he was topped by Yale's Jim Ji, 6-7, 2-6.
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Playing number six singles on Saturday, Griffin Schlesinger played a tough opening set taking on the host's Luke Neal, as he was defeated 5-7 in set one and 2-6 in the second stanza.

Head coach Jeff Bricker summed up Saturday's dual match season opener saying, "We had our chances in both singles and doubles, but didn't play the big points well enough. We saw a lot that we liked, but also a lot of things to improve upon."

Up next, the Stags continue a busy weekend of action against Ivy League opposition on Sunday traveling to New York City to face the # 11-ranked Columbia University Lions in a doubleheader.  First serve of match one is slated for 1:00 p.m.