ITHACA, N.Y. — Sophomore Lev Kazakov partnered with junior Jake Hansen to secure the decisive point in doubles, then clinched the match with a three-set victory at No. 3 singles in the men's tennis team's season-opening 6-1 win over Wichita State on Thursday evening at Reis Tennis Center.
 
The all-freshman tandem of Alafia Ayeni and Evan Bynoe won the day's first doubles match, then the clincher came from the aforementioned No. 1 pairing.
 
Bynoe, ranked 106th in the country by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, was first to wrap up a victory in a singles match with a 6-3, 6-1 decision at No. 5. Senior Daniel Grunberger was next to end his day with a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 4, then Kazakov clinched at No. 3.
 
Freshman Alafia Ayeni's collegiate debut was successful, resulting in a hard-fought victory in straight sets at No. 2 after a marathon first-set tiebreaker. With the balance of the match already decided, junior David Volfson capped Cornell's scoring by staving off the Shockers' No. 1 for a second straight year with a win in a super tiebreaker.
 
The Big Red hits the road next weekend, visiting Mississippi on Friday, Feb. 2 and Clemson on Sunday, Feb. 4.
 
CORNELL 6, WICHITA STATE 1
at Reis Tennis Center; Ithaca, N.Y.
Singles
1. #95 David Volfson (C) def. Haru Inoue, 7-6(3), 4-6, (10-8)
2. Alafia Ayeni (C) def. Marius Frosa, 7-6(9), 7-5
3. Lev Kazakov (C) def. Murkel Dellien, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1_­
4. Daniel Grunberger (C) def. Eddie Stoica, 6-4, 6-1
5. #106 Evan Bynoe (C) def. Andrea Trapani, 6-3, 6-1
6. Miroslav Herzan (WSU) def. Jake Hansen, 7-6, 6-7, (10-4)
Doubles
1. Hansen/Kazakov (C) def. Dellien/Frosa, 6-4
2. Ayeni/Bynoe (C) def. Caligiana/Herzan, 6-4
3. Inoue/Stoica (WSU) def. McAllister/Volfson, 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1), Singles (5,4,3,2,1,6)
Records: Cornell 1-0, Wichita State 1-1