FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  It's trip across the country did not leave visiting University of California, Riverside with any evidence of jet lag as the Division-I Highlanders downed D-III host Methodist, 8-1, Wednesday morning in a non-conference men's tennis match at the Gene Clayton Tennis Center.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: UC Riverside def. Methodist, 8-1
Records: Methodist 4-9, UC Riverside 13-9
Location: Gene Clayton Tennis Center; Fayetteville, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Riverside fought off a battle from the Monarchs in doubles action. Methodist picked up a point in the No. 3 position with Hayden Wilfong and Kaykahn Alikhani teaming up for an 8-7(6) victory over the Highlanders' Fillip Engstrom and David Ramirez.
• The Nos. 1 and 2 slots, however, went Riverside's way, allowing the visitors to enter singles play with a 2-1 advantage.
• Though the Highlanders won out in straight sets across each of the six singles bouts, Methodist challenged its D-I opponents in several of the matches.
• Luke Laney fell to Andreas Whelan-Merediz by only a service break, 7-5, in his opening set at 5-singles before succumbing 6-3 in the second.
• Trent Harner played even much of the way with Kyle McCann at No. 1 in the opening set but dropped a 6-4, 6-3 decision to Riverside's top player.
• Both Coleman Baker at No. 2 and Wilfong at No. 3 were in their matches before giving way, 3 and 3, in each bout.

NEXT UP

• Methodist hosts a triple-header Saturday at the Clayton Tennis Center, squaring off at 10 a.m. with Southern Virginia University in a non-conference match before taking on Greensboro Collage at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. in a USA South Athletic Conference doubleheader.
• Riverside continues its tour of North Carolina with a Wednesday-afternoon match at N.C. Central University.