SALEM, VA - Hampden-Sydney Tennis had to comeback from a 2-1 deficit after doubles play to defeat Roanoke College 5-4 on Thursday afternoon.

J.B. Weaver (Raleigh, NC / Needham Broughton) and Fitzhugh Johnson (Fredericksburg, VA / James Monroe) narrowly lost 9-7 at the #1 doubles flight, and Trent Singleton (Richmond, VA / Douglas S. Freeman) and David Dodson (Roanoke, VA / Cave Spring) followed with a tightly contested 8-5 loss at the #2 spot. Thacher Jennings (Lynchburg, VA / E.C. Glass) and Mitchell Swann (Lynchburg, VA / E.C. Glass) got the Tigers their first win with an 8-5 'W' at #3 doubles.

All but one of the six singles matches ended in either three sets or needing at least one tiebreaker in a highly competitive affair. Weaver won his first set at the #1 flight 6-4, but dropped sets two and three by scores of 6-1, 6-0. Johnson, competing at #2 singles, lost his first set 5-7 but rebounded in impressive fashion to take the new two 6-0, 6-2 for the win. Jennings rolled to a 6-1 win in the first set, but needed a tiebreaker at 7-6 (7-4) to get the victory at the #3 spot.

Singleton dropped his #4 match in straight sets at 6-3, 6-4. Dodson needed a first set tiebreaker at 7-6 (7-2) and then took the second set 6-3 as well. With the match tied at 4-4, Lawrence Bowers (New Bern, NC / Arendell Parrott Academy) and Lewis Young were still battling in the #5 match to determine which team would go home the winner. Bowers narrowly lost the first set 7-6. Young had him reeling in the second set, roaring out to a 5-2 advantage. From there it was the Lawrence Bowers show as he won the next 11 games to win the second set 7-5 and dominated the third set for a 6-0 win to capture the match 5-4 for the Tigers.

The Tigers host their home opener on Sunday when national power Washington & Lee University comes to town for a 1:30 pm match.