WHEELING, W.Va. – The West Liberty University men's tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to Mountain East Conference front-runner Charleston Friday afternoon at the Wheeling Park indoor courts.
    The Golden Eagles (13-2, 2-0) grabbed the early advantage by taking two of the three doubles matches to earn the doubles point. Isfan Makhumudov and Daisuke Aota teamed up to give the Hilltoppers (9-6, 2-2) a convincing 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles but UC prevailed at the No. 1 and No. 2 slots to take a 1-0 lead into singles action.
    Makhumudov gave the Hilltoppers a 6-4 6-4 win at No. 5 singles but that was the only place the Black and Gold could break through. Charleston won the other five singles matches to remain unbeaten in conference play.
    The West Liberty men step out of MEC competition on Sunday for a 1 p.m. match against NCAA Division I St. Francis University in Loreto, Pa.
  Dagostine/Giesberts (UC) d. Dux/Schulz, 6-2
Patel/Llorente (UC) d. Erpel/Gerndt, 6-2
Makhumudov/Aota (WLU) d. Stevens/Rawson, 6-2 Llorente (UC) d. Erpel, 7-5 6-1
Giesberts (UC) d. Aota, 6-1 6-3
Dagostine (UC) d. Schulz, 6-4 6-4
Patel (UC) d. Gerndt, 6-4 6-4
Makhumudov (WLU) d. Rawson, 6-4 6-4
Magill (UC) d. Dux, 6-3 7-5