Huskers Find Early Success at ITA Central Region Championships

The Nebraska men's tennis team competed on Day 1 of the ITA Central Region Championships on Monday, earning three doubles victories and three singles victories.

The tournament began with doubles competition. In the opening match of the day, freshmen Andre Saleh and Shunya Maruyama clinched an 8-5 victory over Reid Jarvis/Freddie Powell of Drake to advance to the Round of 32. Freshman Chester Wickwire and senior Chris Dean also took the court in the tournament's opening round, but fell to Evan Fragistas/Luka Jankovic of Drake, 8-3.  The duo of junior William Gleason and sophomore Victor Moreno Lozano had a first-round bye, as did the 7th-seeded pairing of sophomore Patrick Cacciatore and freshman Albert Sprlak-Puk.  

Gleason and Moreno Lozano were able to capture an 8-6 victory over Wichita State's Bruno Serra and Stefan Latinovic. Cacciatore and Sprlak-Puk were also victorious, defeating Minnesota's Stefan Milijevic and Bodan Zarkjovic by the same score, 8-6. Saleh and Maruyama fell to the Tulsa tandem of Daniel Siddall and Ezequiel Santalla, 8-3. 

Around midday, competition shifted to singles. Moreno Lozano defeated UMKC's Kacper Piekarek 6-1, 6-3. Maruyama took down UMKC's Jake Fraunfelder 6-2, 6-2. Former five-star recruit Andre Saleh contributed to the Huskers' winning ways with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Oral Roberts' Marcello Moreira. Old Dominion transfer Patrick Cacciatore and Canfield, Ohio native Chester Wickwire each dropped their singles matches. Cacciatore fell 7-5, 6-1 to Hunter Harrison of Arkansas, while Iowa's Morgan Lohan defeated Wickwire 6-2, 6-2. Will Gleason, Albert Sprlak-Puk and Chris Dean all earned first-round byes and will join Moreno Lozano, Saleh and Maruyama in the Round of 64. 

The Huskers will be back in action tomorrow. In the doubles bracket, Gleason and Moreno Lozano will take on Minnesota's Siim Troost/Vlad Lobak. Cacciatore and Sprlak-Puk will face Nick Campbell/Mac Mease of Creighton.

Singles action will continue with Will Gleason facing Oral Roberts' Scott Hjelm. Albert Sprlak-Puk with take on Davis Lawley of UNO while Chris Dean will face off against Iowa's Will Davies. Andre Saleh will face Evan Fragistas of Drake and Shunya Maruyama will take on Oklahoma's Matt Rodriguez.

Fans can follow @huskermtennis on Twitter for match updates. 

Doubles Results 

Saleh/Maruyama def. Jarvis/Powell (Drake), 8-5

Moreno Lozano/Gleason def. Bruno Serra/Latinovic (Wichita State), 8-6

Fragistas/Jankovic (Drake) def. Wickwire/Dean, 8-3

Sprlak-Puk/Cacciatore def. Milicevic/Zarkovic (Minnesota), 8-6 

Siddell/Santalla (Tulsa) def. Saleh/Maruyama, 8-3 

 

Singles Results 

Moreno Lozano def. Piekarek (UMKC), 6-1, 6-3 

Maruyama def. Fraunfelder (UMKC), 6-2, 6-2 

Saleh def. Morira (Oral Roberts), 6-4, 6-4 

Harrison (Arkansas) def. Cacciatore, 7-5, 6-1 

Lohan (Iowa) def. Wickwire, 6-2, 6-2 

 

Upcoming Doubles Matches 

Gleason/Moreno Lozano v. Troost/Lobcack (Minnesota) 

Cacciatore/Sprlak-Puk v. Campbell/Mease (Creighton)


Upcoming Singles Matches 

Will Gleason v. Scott Hjelm (Oral Roberts) 

Albert Sprlak-Puk v. Davis Lawley (UNO) 

Chris Dean v. Will Davies (Iowa) 

Andre Saleh v. Evan Fragistas (Drake) 

Shunya Maruyama v. Matt Rodriguez (Oklahoma)