GAFFNEY, S.C. - Despite a No. 2 singles win from Vinicius Botelho (Fortaleza, Brazil) the Newberry men's tennis team dropped an 8-1 decision to the Limestone Saints, who are ranked 35th nationally and 11th in the Southeast Region.

The Wolves got off to a slow start in the trio of doubles matches. Botelho and David Sons (Lexington, S.C.) fell to Jordan Vicain and Miguel Lopez Zuniga 8-2 before Michael Saunders (Christchurch, New Zealand) and Mohammed Chakir (Rabat, Moricco) fell to Mike Stephenson and Rafael Ferla, 8-4.

The hometown duo of Jeffrey Kiser and James Bethan dropped an 8-3 decision to Abraham Lascari Diaz and Daniel Lopez in the final doubles match.

The singles matches were equally unkind to the Wolves, with Saunders falling 2-6, 6-4, 10-6 against No. 36 Lopez Zuniga to start things off.

After Botelho's victory, Chakir fell 6-2, 6-1 to Ferla before Michael Woolard (Lexington, S.C.) lost 6-1, 6-3 to Vicain.

Sons played Lascari Diaz close, but ultimately fell 6-3, 6-4 to the Saint before Joel Hicks (West Columbia, S.C.) fell victim to Lopez, 8-3.

The Wolves make their return to Newberry when they host Division I Radford on Sunday, Feb. 27. The matches are set to begin at 2:30 p.m.