CONWAY, Ark. - The Hendrix College men's tennis team lost their first Southern Athletic Association match of the year 8-1 to Rhodes College at the Hendrix Indoor Tennis Center on Sunday.

Junior Robert Sheets improved his season record to 4-4 with a win 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8) tiebreaker win over Eliot Blatt for the Warriors' (1-4, 0-1) only point at number one singles.

The Lynx (2-1, 1-0), who are ranked 13th in the Atlantic South Region, won the other eight match-ups.

Hendrix junior Bob Berardi lost the second flight match to Albert Vacheron 6-3, 6-2. Freshman Karthik Garimella was defeated by Greyson Brilliant 6-2, 6-2 in third singles.

Sheets and Berardi lost 8-4 to Blatt and Trevor Lew in number one doubles.

Hendrix will play their first road match of the season on Saturday at LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas.

Rhodes 8, Hendrix 1
Feb 23, 2014 at Conway, Ark.

Singles competition

1. Robert Sheets (HC) def. Eliot Blatt (RHODES) 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8)

2. Albert Vacheron (RHODES) def. Bob Berardi (HC) 6-3, 6-2

3. Greyson Brilliant (RHODES) def. Karthik Garimella (HC) 6-2, 6-2

4. Trevor Lew (RHODES) def. Ian McVinney (HC) 6-0, 6-1

5. Graham Sowden (RHODES) def. Zach Villemez (HC) 6-0, 6-0

6. William Bitting (RHODES) def. Ilya Pound (HC) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. Eliot Blatt/Trevor Lew (RHODES) def. Robert Sheets/Bob Berardi (HC) 8-4

2. Graham Sowden/Greyson Brilliant (RHODES) def. Ian McVinney/Karthik Garimella (HC) 8-1

3. Albert Vacheron/Daniel Oliver (RHODES) def. Zach Villemez/Ilya Pound (HC) 8-0

Match Notes

Rhodes 2-1, 1-0 SAA; Regional ranking #13

Hendrix 1-4, 0-1 SAA