RALEIGH, N.C. – In their first contest against a ranked opponent this season, North Carolina A&T lost to North Carolina State University (NCSU) in non-conference men's tennis 7-0 Thursday night at J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center. 

The Aggies are 0-3 on the season. NCSU improved to 9-2. 

NCSU won two of the three doubles matches to take a 1-0 lead. No. 51 Martins Rocens and Fons Van Sambeek defeated junior Esteban Lopez and senior Vasil Ivanov 6-2 at the No. 1. The Wolfpack won the point after Damien Salvestre and Joseph Schrader defeated freshmen Ian Pedersen and Ethan Baly 6-2 at No. 3.

With the Wolfpack winning the point, No. 2 doubles went unfinished. When the doubles match ended, Freshmen Eder Blanco and Jorge Perez had the lead over Yannai Barkai and Collin Shick 5-3. 

NCSU increased the lead to 2-0 after Joseph Wayand defeated senior Nolan Martino 6-0, 6-1 at No. 6. Shick defeated Pedersen 6-4, 7-5 at the No. 5 to give NCSU a 3-0 lead. The Wolfpack clinched after Yannai Barkai defeated Blanco 6-4, 6-1 at No. 3 singles. They led 5-0 after Salvestre defeated Ivanov 6-3, 7-5 at No. 2.

Van Sambeek defeated Perez 7-5, 6-4 at the No. 4 singles. Eighty-fourth ranked Rafa Izquierdo Luque defeated Lopez 6-4, 7-6 (6) at No. 1 for Lopez's first loss of the season.