Sept. 14, 2007
Contact: Brian McCann
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ryan Hamning and Phil Orno won their matches to advance to the quarterfinals of the "A" singles draw as the Cleveland State men's tennis team opened their 2007-08 season competing in the Ball State Fall Invitational.
Hamning and Orno, who combined to win 40 singles matches last year as the Vikings set a school record with 18 dual match wins, provided the leadership at the top of the lineup. The duo each had to go to the super tiebreaker to win their opening matches, Hamning upending Butler's Chris Herron, 3-6, 6-4, 10-8 while Orno claimed a 6-1, 5-7, 10-3 win over Alex Friesen of Northern Illinois.
Orno went on to win his second round match over Indiana State's Mpiloehnle Migogo, 7-6 (3), 6-2 while Hamning received a bye in the quarterfinals. The duo will each play at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday with a head-to-head match on the horizon if each wins.
"This is a good season-opening tournament for us," head coach Brian Etzkin said. "We are facing some pretty good regional competition, but that's what we need right now.
"We started out the day pretty well but the bracket got a little tougher and we started to falter a little bit," Etzkin said. "Still, the strength and experience of our lineup is at the top and those are the players who are alive in the main draw."
With Orno and Hamning leading the way, CSU won five of its eight first round singles matches. Chris Klepatz won in straight sets (6-2, 7-6) in the "A" flight while "C" flight participants Adam Perkins and Rob Fox each won easily.
CSU didn't fare well in the "B" singles flight as Rob West and Steven Wipprecht each dropped their first round matches to fall into the consolation draw.
Hamning and Orno were at it again in the "A" Doubles draw, teaming to defeat the Ball State team of Pavin-Vidal, 8-6, before dropping an 8-5 decision to Ford-Livingston from Northern Illinois.
In the "B" Doubles draw, CSU's Chris Klepatz and Rob West received a first round bye and then upended Ball State's Russert-Rodriguez, 8-6, to advance to the semi-finals on Saturday.
"We haven't spent much time on doubles this year, but it is good to see that our guys still play well together," Etzkin said.
Play resumes on Saturday with two rounds of singles and one round of doubles play, setting up the championship matches in both singles and doubles on Sunday morning.
2007 Ball State Open
First Day Results
Flight "A" Singles
Ryan Hamning (CSU) def. Chris Herron (Butler), 3-6, 6-4, 10-8
(Hamning received second round bye, advances to Saturday's quarterfinal round)
Phil Orno (CSU) def. Alex Friesen (Northern Illinois), 6-1, 5-7, 10-3
Phil Orno (CSU) def. Mpiloenhle Migogo (Indiana State), 7-6 (3), 6-2
(Orno advances to Saturday's quarterfinal round)
Chris Klepatz (CSU) def. Nathan Jones (IPFW), 6-2, 7-6 (4)
Eric Breitenbach (Butler) def. Chris Klepatz (CSU), 6-1, 6-0
Flight "B" Singles
Vuk Bolic (Bradley) def. Rob West (CSU), 6-4, 2-6, 10-8
(West received second round bye, will play in consolation quarterfinals on Saturday)
Jorge Rodriguez (Ball State) def. Steven Wipprecht (CSU), 6-0, 6-1
Mark Rutherford (Marquette) def. Steve Wipprecht (CSU), 6-2, 6-0
Flight "C" Singles
Adam Perkins (CSU) def. Nathan Toles (IPFW), 6-1, 6-2
Wilder Sampson (Bradley) def. Adam Perkins (CSU), 6-0, 6-1
Rob Fox (CSU) def. David Dolens (Butler), 6-2, 6-1
Gregory Sirotek (Marquette) def. Rob Fox (CSU), 1-6, 7-5, 10-7
Gregory Sirotek (Marquette) def. Aris Spirtos (CSU), 6-1, 6-1
David Dolents (Butler) def. Aris Spirtos (CSU), 6-2, 6-3
(Perkins, Fox & Spirtos are eliminated from singles bracket)
Flight "A" Doubles
Hamning/Orno (CSU) def. Pavia/Vidal (Ball State), 8-6
Ford/Livingston (NIU) def. Hamning/Orno, 8-5
Flight "B" Doubles
Fox/Wipprecht (CSU) received first round bye
Collins/Jones (IPFW) def. Fox/Wipprecht, 8-6
Klepatz/West (CSU) received first round bye
Klepatz/West (CSU) def. Bussert/Rodriguez (Ball State), 8-6
Flight "C" Doubles
Douglas (ISU)/Sirotek (Marquette) def. Perkins/Sirtos (CSU), 8-2
