FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 10-5-01

Day One Complete Of ITA Men's Tennis Southeast Regional

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Several close matches highlighted the first day of competition at the 2001 ITA Men's Tennis Southeast Regional on Friday afternoon at the AASU Tennis Complex.

With all of the 12 seeded singles players receiving byes into the second round, the day featured five singles matches that went to three sets, including two from the host Pirates who were victorious. AASU sophomore Roger Thiele defeated Per Schartum-Hansen from GC&SU, 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 in first round action, while AASU freshman Achim Roth also picked up a three-set win, 4-6, 6-0, 6-4, over Llewellyn King of Francis Marion. Other three-set winners in the first round included Miguel Angelo Mariano of North Florida, a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner over Marin Radovanovich of Columbus State; Edmond Dramou of North Florida, a 2-6, 7-6, 6-2 winner over Matt Anderson of Valdosta State; and Rodolfo Castro of USC Spartanburg, a 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 winner over AASU's Caue Figueiredo.

In first-day doubles action, the top two seeds advanced to the third round with wins. After receiving first-round byes, the top-seeded duo of Mark Bube and Sollie Nortje of Francis Marion defeated AASU's duo of Figueiredo and Michael Jezt, 8-5. The No. 2-seeded duo of Marco Borges and Tobias Huning of Valdosta State picked up an 8-3 win over GC&SU's Alex Beauregard and Mikhael Pettersson.

Second-day action in the region begins on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. and continues through Monday. The singles and doubles champions advance to the ITA Small College National Championships in Dallas, Texas, on October 19-21.

- Pirates -