University of Memphis Athletics
Day One Complete in ITA Southeast Regionals
Oct 16, 2003 | Men's Tennis
Oct. 16, 2003
Eight singles players from seven different NCAA Division I programs used a pair of wins in the qualifying draw of the ITA Southeast Regional to advance to the main draw, set to begin at 8:15 a.m., Friday.
Tennessee Tech University had two players advance from the qualifying draw into the main round. Michele Panzeri came back from a 7-5 first set loss in his first round match to Memphis' Andrew Olswing to win the next two sets 7-5, 6-3. Panzeri then used straight sets to eliminate Southern Miss' Dylan Mezey, 6-2, 7-5, to earn his main draw bid. He will now face Auburn's Nick Lane at 10 a.m., Friday.
Another Tech player advancing into the main draw was Dominik Hecht. Hecht was involved in the longest first round match of the day, coming back from a 6-7 first set loss to win 6-3, 7-6. Hecht stayed on the same court and eliminated Memphis' Trey Brower in the second round, this time in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1. Hecht will face Ole Miss' Frederik Aarum in the main draw at 10:45 a.m., Friday.
Jacksonville's Martin Hehensteiger was the first to punch his ticket to the main draw. Hehensteiger used a 6-1, 6-2 first set win over Troy State's Clayton Langheim and a 6-3, 6-1 second set win over Patrizio Maucci of Tulane to earn his Friday match against Middle Tennessee's Andrea Siljestrom, at 8:15 a.m., Friday.
Kentucky's Alex Hume also used straight set wins to advance to the main draw, downing Tennessee Tech's Will Chappell, 6-4, 7-6 and Southern Miss' Chris Rea, 6-4, 6-2. Hume will face Georgia's Jason Varela at 9:15 a.m., Friday.
Another SEC player advancing was LSU's Colt Gaston. Gaston blanked UT Martin's Olti Mollaymeri, 6-1, 6-1, and then came back from a 7-6 first set loss to Murray State's Adam Maskill, to win 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Gaston will square off against Rishan Kuruppu from Middle Tennessee at 8:15 a.m., Friday.
Speaking of Middle Tennessee, the Blue Raiders' Brandon Allan also came back from a 7-6 first set loss to win 6-2, 6-1 over Kentucky's Matt Allinder. Allan then used straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, to down Murray State's Masimba Muskwe. Allan will face Tennessee Tech's Luis Aguerrevere at 8:15 a.m., Friday, in his next match.
UCF sent its lone qualifying round competitor into the main draw as Antonio Sierra downed his opening round opponent, Arturo Nieto from Jacksonville State, 6-1, 6-1. Sierra then won his opening set of the second round 6-3, before dropping the second set 6-3. But Sierra bounced back with a 6-1 third set win to advance to a Friday match against Miami's Colin Purcell, at 10:15 a.m.
The final qualifier to advance was Southern Miss' Reid Bourgeois. Bourgeois eliminated Tennessee's John Thornton, 6-3, 6-2, then dropped his second round opening set, 6-2 to LSU's Brandon Nicholson. But Bourgeois came back with a pair of thrillers, winning 7-5, 7-6 (3) to advance to Friday's main draw. Bourgeois will face Mississippi State's Luiz Carvalho at 9:30 a.m., Friday.
The complete day one tournament results and the complete draw and schedule can be access at www.tennisinformation.com under tournament ID number 5144869.
