FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Wichita State opened its dual season with a win on the road, defeating the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, 4-3.

Playing in the first dual match of his career, redshirt freshman Sven Kasper stepped up to win the decisive No. 3 match that sealed the 4-3 Shocker win. Kasper came just shy of taking the match in straight sets but Calin Murray claimed the second set in dramatic fashion, 7-6 (3). Unfazed, Kasper came back in the third set to take the match, 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-3.

Kasper had help from sophomore David Cavalcanti and junior Adrian Chermaci, who locked down wins at the No. 4 and No. 5 positions, respectively. The Ragin' Cajuns didn't get an easy match out of any of the Shockers, however, as all three of their wins took three sets to achieve.

Cavalcanti quickly took care of Yanick Mandl, 6-3, 6-4 while Chermaci did the same with Piotr Olechowski, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Junior Vlad Marinescu fell after a resilient effort to Javier Pulgar in the No. 1 spot, 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (2). Also playing in his first dual match as a Shocker, freshman Valentin Mihai suffered his first loss of the season at the hands of Tomasz Krzyszkowski in the No. 2 spot, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3.

Freshman Matheus Pereira battled but came up just short of defeating Neil Schneider in the No. 6 match. Schneider won 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-5.

WSU took the early lead by taking control of the doubles point. Senior Jonathan Obrist teamed up with Cavalcanti to defeat Mandl and Schneider, 8-3. Marinescu and Kasper finished Pulgar and Krzyszkowski almost as quickly, winning 8-4.  Olechowski and Murray barely edged the No. 2 Shocker duo of Mihai and Pereira, 8-7 (5).

The Shockers take the court again on Sunday to face host school, No. 51 Arkansas. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Wichita State 4 - Louisiana-Lafayette 3  

Singles
Javier Pulgar (ULL) def. Vlad Marinescu (WSU) 6-1, 4-6,7-6(2)
Krzyszkowski (ULL) def. Valentin Mihai (WSU) 7-6(4) 2-6, 6-3     
Sven Kasper (WSU)  def   Calin Murray (ULL) 6-2 ,6-7(3) 6-3
David Cavalcanti (WSU) def.  Mandl (ULL) 6-3, 6-4
Adrian Chermaci (WSU) def.   Olechowski (ULL) 7-6(5) ,6-4
Schneider (ULL) def. Matheus Pereira (WSU) 7-6(4), 4-6 ,7-5

Doubles
Marinescu/ Kasper (WSU) def. Krzyszkowski/Pulgar (ULL) 8-4
Olechowski/Murray (ULL) def. Mihai/ Pereira (WSU) 8-7(5)   
Obrist/ Cavalcanti (WSU) def. Mandl/Schneider (ULL) 8-3