siThe University of Minnesota men's tennis team lost its season-opener today to No. 43 Virginia tonight, falling 4-3 at the Baseline Tennis Center. The Cavaliers won the doubles point and went 3-3 in singles play to edge the 15th-ranked Golden Gophers (0-1).

Virginia opened the meet with a 2-1 showing in doubles as its 24th- ranked doubles duo of Rylan and Nick Meythaler fell to Minnesota's No. 50 Clay Estes and Avery Ticer, 9-7. Marko Miklo and Stephen Rozek then downed Andres Osorio and Brian Lipinski at the No. 2 spot, 8-6, before Darrin Cohen and Nick Meythaler downed Chris Wettengel and Aleksey Zharinov, 8-1.

In singles action, the Maroon and Gold took home victories at the No. 2, 4 and 6 spots, but it was not enough to avoid the upset. At No. 1 singles, No. 25 Doug Stewart defeated preseason No. 41 Aleksey Zharinov in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. At No. 2, 85th-ranked Chris Wettengel continued his strong play from the fall season, downing Rozek, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. Other Golden Gophers gaining wins were Osorio at No. 4 over Darrin Cohen, 6-2, 7-5, and Lipinski at No. 6 over Chris Gonyer, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Virginia continues play at the season-opening event at the Baseline Center tomorrow with a match against No. 58 Northwestern at 2 p.m. The Golden Gophers face the Wildcats on Sunday, Jan. 25, at noon.

Results - Virginia 4, Minnesota 3
Singles
No. 1 - Doug Stewart (UVA) def. Aleksey Zharinov (UM), 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 - Chris Wettengel (UM) def. Stephen Rozek (UVA), 1-6, 6-3, 6- 3
No. 3 - Rylan Rizza (UVA) def. Avery Ticer (UM), 6-3, 7-6
No. 4 - Andres Osorio (UM) def. Darrin Cohen (UVA), 6-2, 7-5
No. 5 - Marko Miklo (UVA) def. Clay Estes (UM), 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 - Brian Lipinski (UM) def. Chris Gonyer (UVA), 7-6 (5), 6-4

Doubles
No. 1 - Ticer/Estes (UM) def. Rizza/Stewart (UVA), 9-7
No. 2 - Miklo/Rozek (UVA) def. Osorio/Lipinski (UM), 8-6
No. 3 - Cohen/Meythaler (UVA) def. Wettengel/Zharinov (UM), 8-1