Two advance to semifinals of UNCG Invitational after rain delay today
Two Golden Eagle tennis players will attempt to continue winning streaks in the semifinal rounds Sunday morning at UNC Greensboro Invitational.
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Tennessee Tech men’s tennis team made a good showing Friday at the UNC Greensboro Invitational, its first tournament of the fall season. Among the six players head coach Kenny Doyle brought to the tournament, two remain to compete in the semifinal round tomorrow morning due to rain cancellations today.
Josh Girling, Justin Kirstein and Alex Chen all came out on top in their first round matches. Chen battled out a three setter and saved two match points to take a 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5 victory. He was stopped in the next round of the A1 flight by the one-seeded Orcun Seyrek of UNC Greensboro 4-6, 4-6, and was ahead 6-2 in match today when opponent retired. He will advance to the third round of consolations on Sunday.
On Friday Josh Girling eased through his first two matches of the A2 flight without dropping a set, let alone many games. Justin Kirstein, also in Flight A2, didn’t give his opponents much of a chance with back-to-back straight set victories. Both were meant to compete in the semifinal round today but rain suspended play to Sunday. They will attempt to keep winning streak going tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.
Freshman Joseph Proctor lost in the first round of Flight A3 singles, but took a victory over three- seed in the following round, 6-3, 6-4. Proctor will advance to third round of consolations Sunday after recieving a withdrawal in todays match. Lloyd Harris and John Taylor both represented Tennessee Tech in Flight A4. Harris lost to the third-seed in a challenging three-setter, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, and Taylor was defeated by one-seed in the quarterfinals after receiving a walkover in the first round.
Chen and Kirstein had an 8-6 victory Friday night in the first round of the Flight A doubles, and fell Saturday morning in a tight encounter, 9-7 to UNC Greensboro.
The semi-final round of singles resumes Sunday at 8 a.m.
