BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The Philadelphia University men's tennis team went 1-1 to kick off the Bloomsburg Duals on Saturday on Bloomsburg University Upper Campus Courts. The Rams defeated host Bloomsburg 5-0 and lost to Bluefield State 5-0.

Philadelphia is now 5-10 overall.

The Rams started the day with the victory over the Huskies (2-9).

Matthew Germani (Blackwood, N.J./Highland) and Juan David Velosa (Bogota, Columbia/Gimnasio Campestre San Rafael) got the Rams off to a strong start with an 8-6 win in the No. 3 doubles match against Kyle Christy and Mortada Stitou. Ayman Barakat (Kharkiv, Ukraine/Kharkiv Specialized English School #3) and Long Vo (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area) claimed the No. 2 flight 8-5 against Will Humphrey and Denis Ikejiri. In the No. 1 match, Dylan Bhaerman (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) and Chris Casamassima (Franklin Square, N.Y./St. Mary's) outlasted Mike DiSanto and Brayden Shipman 9-7.

Velosa picked up the Rams' fourth point when Stitou retired in the No. 5 singles match. Velosa won the opening set 6-0 before the retirement.

Vo clinched the match by knocking off Christy 6-3, 6-1 in the No. 4 singles flight.

Philadelphia was leading the four remaining matches, which were unfinished.

Bluefield State (14-3) swept doubles play to take a 3-0 lead. Aziz Yuldashev and Vishwesh Sinha defeated Bhaerman and Casamassima in the No. 1 doubles match 8-3, the closest of the three doubles matches.

Jacob Carey defeated BarakatM, 6-1, 6-0, in the No. 1 singles flight and Anthony Braem knocked off Vo at No. 4, 6-0, 6-0, to secure the match.

Philadelphia wraps up the Duals with a match against Shepherd on Sunday, April 13 at 11 a.m.