Box Score SURPRISE, Ariz. - Day one of the NCAA DII Championships is over, and the first team to advance is the No. 3-seeded UIndy men's tennis team, sweeping the six-seeded Bluefield State Big Blue in a confident 4-0 win to kick off the tournament in the Copper State. 

In a dryer, hotter and higher environment than the Hounds are accustom to, the Arizona sun brought frequent trips to the water cooler and sent each member of the squad hunting for shade at each chance they got. However, the high beams of the sun couldn't shine brighter than the Hounds' energy on the court. 

"It was a challenge," Head Coach Malik Tabet noted. "It's been an adjustment ... but I think the kids reacted well today."

HOW IT HAPPENED
Doubles was a tight contest for both sides on the hot courts of Surprise, Ariz. The Hounds kicked it off with a 6-3 win by the young guns in the No. 3 spot, Nikolaj Talimaa and Pedro Franca. The Big Blue didn't go down quietly however, battling hard in the No. 1 spot. The pair of Tom Zeuch and Yoanna Viel fell 6-3.

The doubles point came down to one match: Renato Lima and Maximilian Witthaus versus the Big Blue's Frederik Bau-Madsen and Mohamed Khalil. But the pair of previous GLVC Freshmen of the Year with their years of high-level experience came out with the win to move the Hounds into singles with a 1-0 lead. 

"I was very proud of what they produced today," Tabet added.

Singles was a Hound show, as the No. 1, 2, and 3 singles slots all finished in straight sets. The first of which being by the No. 28 singles player in the country in Zeuch. He took control early with smart play winning the first set 6-1. The next set would be wrapped up early with Zeuch capturing victory by retirement after just four games winning 3-1 in set two. 

"Renato and Tom they were cruising," Nikolaj Talimaa said. "I think we are playing very good tennis here."

Another ranked Greyhound in Lima was next in the win column for the Hounds. He shut down the Big Blues' Bau-Madsen, only losing two games across the straight sets win 6-1, 6-1. And to seal the deal for the red-hot Hounds was Viel, coming in at the No. 3 spot as a true freshman. He, like his teammates, jumped out fast, winning set one 6-1. He wouldn't give his opponent any breathing room in set two either with a 6-2 second set win to bring UIndy just two matchs away from a national championship. 

UP NEXT
The Hounds have a semifinal matchup with the No. 2 team in the nation and 2nd-seeded Barry University. They kick off at 5 p.m ET tomorrow. 

"We've got to play our tennis," Tabet said. "We've worked all season long for this; it's the big dance."