GENEVA, N.Y.- The Hobart College tennis team prepped for its Liberty League opener with an 8-1 win over Hamilton in Bristol Field House this afternoon. With the win, the Statesmen improve to 5-4 on the year. They have won three-straight matches and are 5-1 at home.
 
Hobart swept doubles play to take an early 3-0 lead over the Continentals. At. No. 1, juniors Michael Rusk and Danny Kot cruised past Devin White and Alex Streich 8-1. Rusk and Kot are a team-best 6-3 this spring. Sophomore Harry Nichols and first-year Patrick Gray prevailed at No. 3 8-4. First-years Jonah Salita and Jonathan Atwater collected a point at No. 2 with an 8-5 victory.
 
The Statesmen won five of the six singles matches to secure the team win. In the top spot, Salita bested Hamilton's Max McKee-Proctor 6-2, 6-1. Rusk clinched the match at No. 2, losing one game to Devin White. Rusk is now 7-2 this spring and is on a four-match winning streak. Nichols defeated Ian Antonoff, 6-3, 6-0, at No. 4. Gray rallied to win in the fifth spot, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 10-8. Gray was down 6-1 in the second set tiebreaker, fighting off five match points to take the match. Atwater improved to a team-best 9-4 in singles matches with a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 3.
 
Hobart will be back in action on Saturday when it opens up Liberty League play against Bard. The match is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m.