VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's tennis team was without two players on Saturday due to illness and came up short in a 5-2 loss to No. 15 Embry-Riddle at the VSU Tennis Complex.

The Blazers fell to 1-1 on the year, while ERAU improved to 3-1.  The upset-minded Eagles won all three doubles matches to set the tone early.  
 
ERAU took a 2-0 lead with a win at No. 5 from Joao Morgado over Yohann Meunier, 6-1, 6-3, and led 3-0 as No. 15-ranked Enrico Rosellini won 6-2, 6-4 over No. 42 Philipp Bosse.  Former ERAU tennis player Wilson Igbinovia gave VSU its first point with a 6-4, 6-0 win at No. 3 over Manuel Lanteri, but ERAU's Joshua Nuyts clinched the match with a 7-5, 6-2 win at No. 4 over Emile Delporte. 
 
The teams played out the rest of the match as Blazer sophomore Julien Doitteau, ranked No. 24 nationally, won 6-2, 6-3 at No. 1 singles over No. 25 Marc Mail and ERAU's Frederic Tu won 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) over freshman Pietro Casciola at No. 6 for the final 5-2 margin.
 
VSU returns to action as it travels to No. 14 Florida Southern on Monday for a 2 p.m. match in Lakeland, Fla.