(Raleigh, NC) – The Shaw men's tennis team made their argument for a higher regional ranking by defeating West Liberty 7-2. The Bears, ranked fifth in the Atlantic Region, lost only the third doubles and sixth singles spots to the fourth-ranked Hilltoppers.

Milos Stankovic (right), at the number two singles slot, drew the task of taking on WLU's Erik Jahreskog, currently ranked 12th in the region, and defeated him in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.

At number one singles, Fabio Falcato, ranked tenth in the region, easily handed Jandir Santin Junior, 6-1, 6-2. And this week's CIAA Men's Tennis Player of the Week, Kalada Kienka, dropped only one game to Tyler McCullough, winning 6-1, 6-0.

Medhi Ben-Cheikh and Antoine Jacobs were also straight set winners.

Falcato and Ben-Cheikh, the seventh ranked pair in the region, defeated Alex Fager and Junior 8-2 for their 15th straight win. Stankovic and Kalada extended their winning streak to 14 games with an 8-4 win over McCullough and Tim Sylvester.

On the season, the Bears are 13-6 overall and 6-0 in the CIAA.

The Bears host the region's 11th ranked Johnson C. Smith squad Saturday at 2:00. Shaw's home matches are played at Biltmore Hills Park at 2615 Fitzgerald Drive.