NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University freshman C.J. Maksut (Saco, Maine) earned his team's first point in three matches while the Seahawk men's tennis squad fell 6-1 to two-time defending Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) champion Nichols College on the campus courts in Newport.

The Bison (8-1; 1-0 CCC) swept the doubles play including an 8-1 win for Justin DeLuca (Mashpee, Mass.) and Brandon Roode (Griswold, Conn.) at first against Colin Gunning (Norwell, Mass.) and Khoa Nguyen (Haverhill, Mass.).

Maksut worked a straight-set victory at sixth singles for his first collegiate win and the first match victory for any Seahawk player in 2013-14. With rain falling, match referee Francis Laliberte halted the play as two singles spots went unfinished.

Nichols had the required five points to open its title defense with a win in its first CCC match of the season. Salve Regina falls to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

The Seahawks begin a four-match road trip on Tuesday when they play Roger Williams University in Bristol (4 p.m.).

Tennis Match Results
Nichols vs Salve Regina
03/29/14 at Newport, R.I.
(Leroy Avenue)

Nichols 6, Salve Regina 1

Singles competition
1. Justin DeLuca (NC) def. Colin Gunning (SRU) 6-0, 6-0
2. Brandon Roode (NC) def. Khoa Nguyen (SRU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Monaf Awwa (SRU) vs. Juan Castillo (NC) 1-6, 2-1, unfinished
4. Matthew Carroll (SRU) vs. Jake Zapatka (NC) 0-6, 0-5, unfinished
5. Josh Halpern (NC) def. Matt Gingras (SRU) 6-1, 6-0
6. C.J. Maksut (SRU) def. Jonathan Roy (NC) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Justin DeLuca/Brandon Roode (NC) def. Colin Gunning/Khoa Nguyen (SRU) 8-1
2. Josh Halpern/Dan Roman (NC) def. Monaf Awwa/Matthew Carroll (SRU) 8-0
3. Andrew Haas/Dan Roberts (NC) def. Matt Gingras/Ned Richard (SRU) 8-1

Match Notes:
Nichols 7-1; 1-0 CCC
Salve Regina 0-3; 0-1 CCC
Official: Francis Laliberte T-1:55 A-33