SELINSGROVE – The Wilkes University men's tennis team captured their first-ever victory in the Landmark Conference Saturday afternoon, as they traveled to Susquehanna University and took down the River Hawks by a score of 8-1.
 
The Colonels opened their 2023-24 campaign with a 1-0 record both overall and in the Landmark. Susquehanna moved to 3-1 on the season and 0-1 in conference play.
 
Nathanial Rathe (Lincoln, NE/Lincoln Southeast) and Connor Frey (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) got things started for Wilkes in No. 1 doubles, winning the match 8-4. Angelo Guzman (Port Jefferson Station, NY/Comsewogue) and William Wolfgang (Mountain Top, PA/Holy Redeemer) edged out the River Hawk tandem in No. 2 doubles by a score of 8-7 (7-5). In the third and final doubles match, Jonah Nguyen (Enola, PA/East Pennsboro Area) and Sebastian Sylvester (Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago/The College of Lady Fatima) captured an 8-6 victory that gave the Colonels a sweep of the first portion of the contest.
 
Guzman claimed the No. 1 singles win in straight sets 6-1 and 6-0. One court over, Rathe won both sets at No. 2 6-4 and 7-5. At the No. 3 slot, Sylvester didn't allow a single point and recorded a pair of 6-0 set victories.
 
Wolfgang went the distance in the No. 5 slot, jumping out to a 6-4 win in the first set before falling 7-6 (10-8) in the second set. In the decisive third set, he beat his Susquehanna opponent 10-8 to capture the win. Wrapping things up in the No. 6 slot, Frey came through with an 8-3 score in the first set. That would be all he needed, as the Colonels took the contest with an overall score of 8-1.
 
Wilkes returns to action on Saturday, February 24 when they host Lafayette College at the TK Academy. The first serve is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.