The 30th-ranked Christopher Newport men's tennis team made quick work of their opponent in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championship on Friday morning, picking up the program's second ever team tournament victory, 5-0. The Captains (15-9) downed Franciscan University (10-11) with a doubles sweep and victories at No. 1 and No. 6 in singles action. 

Junior David Reed had two wins on the day for CNU, including the match-clinching victory at the top line in singles play. Sophomore Nicholas Ruzicka added the other singles win for the Captains at No. 6.

CNU advances to face No. 17 Johns Hopkins in the second round on their home courts on Saturday morning, with match time set for 10:00 am. The Blue Jays earned a first-round bye and will open the 2017 NCAA Tournament against the Captains. 

It is just the second time in the history of CNU Tennis that the Captains advanced in the postseason tournament, after picking up a 9-0 win over St. Joseph's in the 2008 edition. It also stands as the first win over the Barons in the first ever meeting between the two programs. 

The Captains wasted no time taking an early lead in doubles, powered by the veteran senior duo at the No. 3 line. Arttu Fiva and Michael Dodd kept up their winning ways with their fifth straight victory, including three in the postseason, by shutting out their opposition, 8-0. Facing Jack Galla and Walter Matt for the Barons, Fiva and Dodd wrapped up the first team point swiftly. 

Not long after, the No. 2 doubles point came in for the Captains, as rookie Andy Mason and sophomore William Trang paired for an 8-2 win over David Freytag and Connor Jooste. In the No. 1 slot, Franciscan hung in for a few games with the talented CNU pairing of Justin Cerny and David Reed, but the Captains' juniors pulled away in the second half of the match. For the Barons, John Gallagher and Jarek Sulak were down just one game, 4-3, before the CNU tandem blew by them for the sweep with the next four game victories. 

Into singles play with a 3-0 lead, the Captains finished off the shutout victory behind Ruzicka's shutout and Reed's clinching win. First, at the No. 6 line, Ruzicka downed Galla 6-0, 6-0 to put CNU within one point of clinching the win. Then, as Reed was paired against Sulak, the veteran slammed the door on the Barons with a 6-1, 6-1 win on the top line. Reed becomes the fifth player for the Captains to register double-digit victories this season, picking up his 10th win of the year. 

The second-round match against JHU is currently scheduled to be played at the Hopkins Outdoor Courts, but rain in the forecast may force a change in facility for the action. The Tournament Committee will meet late in the day Friday to decide whether the match will be moved indoors to the Bare Hills Racquet and Fitness Club.