ORLANDO, Fla. - The sixth-seeded Fordham Rams rattled off four straight singles victories Thursday to defeat No. 11 La Salle and advance to the Atlantic 10 Men's Tennis quarterfinals at the USTA National Campus in Orlando.
The Explorers would get on the board first in doubles play. The duo of BrandonCaban and Dylan Tull made quick work of Tom Russwurm and Jofre Segarra, 6-1. Then on court two, the Rams pairing of Max Green and Alex Makatsaria tied up the score with a 6-2 victory. La Salle clinched the opening point of the match at the top doubles spot, behind Rogelio Gonzalez and Connor Merrill, who won 7-5.
Fordham then took straight set victories on courts three, four, two and six. Alex Makatsaria tied the match up at 1-1 with his 6-3, 6-4 victory at No. 3, before Lutwin De Macar quickly followed with a 7-5, 6-2 winner at No. 4 to give the Rams a 2-1 advantage.
Fordham's Green won his first set, 7-5, before picking up a 6-0 win at No. 2 and the 3-1 team lead, before Jofre Segarra needed a second-set tiebreaker to win his court and the match, 4-1.
With the win, Fordham advances to Friday's quarterfinals to face No. 3 Richmond at 12:00 pm.
MATCH #2 - #6 FORDHAM def. #11 LA SALLE, 4-1
SINGLES
1. Fabian Mauritzson (FOR) vs. Rogelio Gonzalez (LAS) 6-3, 5-6, DNF
2. Max Green (FOR) def. Nassim Fenjiro (LAS) 7-5, 6-0
3. Alex Makatsaria (FOR) def. Connor Merrill (LAS) 6-3, 6-4
4. Lutwin De Macar (FOR) def. Colin Lucius (LAS) 7-5, 6-2
5. Brandon Caban (LAS) vs. Tom Russwurm (FOR) 6-4, 5-3, DNF
6. Jofre Segarra (FOR) def. Dylan Tull (LAS) 6-2, 7-6(2)
Order of Finish: 3, 4, 2, 6
DOUBLES
1. Rogelio Gonzalez/Connor Merrill (LAS) def. Fabian Mauritzson/Lutwin De Macar (FOR) 7-5
2. Max Green/Alex Makatsaria (FOR) def. Nassim Fenjiro/Colin Lucius (LAS) 6-2
3. BrandonCaban/Dylan Tull (LAS) def. Tom Russwurm/Jofre Segarra (FOR) 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1
ORLANDO, Fla. - The seventh-seeded Saint Louis Billikens defeated St. Bonaventure 4-1 on Thursday to earn a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Atlantic 10 Men's Tennis Championship, held at the USTA National Campus in Orlando.
The Billikens won two straight doubles courts to take the opening point of the match. First, Oscar Alvarez and Adam Behun picked up a 6-2 victory at second doubles over Marco Rivolo and Jean Marrero. Then, SLU's top pairing of David Hopper and Eliott Ekindi clinched the point with a 6-3 victory. Court three was knotted at 4-4 when the point was earned.
In singles action, Saint Louis' Ignacio Tintore's straight set victory on court six, 6-0, 6-2, put the Bills up 2-0, before Theo Ortis extended the lead to 3-0 with his 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 2.
St. Bonaventure picked up first set victories on courts four and five, with Jean Marrero winning 6-4, 6-3 on court four to give the Bonas a point. Ryota Fukushima and Stijn Paardekooper (court three, along with Norka SanchezAdam Behun (court five) split sets and were still playing when the match was clinched at No. 1 singles.
Billikens' top singles player Alvarez earned a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Martin Estevarena to send SLU into the quarterfinals. Saint Louis will take on No. 2 Dayton at 12:30 pm on Thursday.
MATCH #3 - #7 SAINT LOUIS def. #10 ST. BONAVENTURE, 4-1
SINGLES
1. Oscar Alvarez (SLU) def. Martin Estevarena (SBU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Theo Ortis (SLU) def. Marco Rivolo (SBU) 6-4, 6-1
3. Ryota Fukushima (SLU) vs. Stijn Paardekooper (SBU) 6-4, 4-6, 0-1, DNF
4. Jean Marrero (SBU) def. Eliott Ekindi (SLU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Norka Sanchez (SBU) vs. Adam Behun (SLU) 6-3, 2-6, DNF
6. Ignacio Tintore (SLU) def. Jonni Heikkila (SBU) 6-0, 6-2
Order of Finish: 6, 2, 4, 1
DOUBLES
1. David Hopper/Eliott Ekindi (SLU) def. Martin Estevarena/Stijn Paardekooper (SBU) 6-3
2. Oscar Alvarez/Adam Behun (SLU) def. Marco Rivolo/Jean Marrero (SBU) 6-2
3. Ryota Fukushima/Theo Ortis (SLU) vs. Joe Blakeley/Norka Sanchez (SBU) 4-4, DNF
Order of Finish: 2, 1