Four Blue Raiders advance at USTA/ITA Regional Championships

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Four Blue Raiders picked up singles victories on Thursday to advance to the second round of the USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships. Senior Matthew Langley, sophomore Ben Davis and freshmen Cameron Dickerson and Forrest Edwards will compete in the Round of 64 on Friday.

Three Blue Raiders won in straight sets, as seventh-seeded Davis earned a 6-2, 6-3 win over ETSU’s Roger Ordeig. Dickerson and Edwards also came away with victories in straight sets.

Langley battled No. 5 seed Jesus Bandres (ETSU) to a third-set tiebreaker. After Langley dropped the first set, 4-6, he bounced back for a 6-2 second-set win. The two seesawed through the third set and into the tiebreaker, where Langley earned the 8-6 victory for match point.

Winners in the Main Draw Round of 64 will advance to the Round of 32, which will also be played on Friday.

Complete results from Thursday’s competition and Friday’s schedule are below.

Thursday’s Results
Singles
(7) Ben Davis (MT) def. Roger Ordeig (ETSU) 6-2, 6-3
Cameron Dickerson (MT) def. James Crawford (TTU) 6-4, 6-2
Forrest Edwards (MT) def. Jimmy Roebker (XU) 6-4, 7-5
Matthew Langley (MT) def. (5) Jesus Bandres (ETSU) 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6) Miguel Cortez (LB) def. Marlon Brand (MT) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Alejandro Gomez (UK) def. Ettore Zito (MT) 7-6, 6-2

Doubles
Brand/Davis (MT) def. Daniel Hernandez/Oliver Strecker (LB) 8-3
Maks Gold/Ryoj Hirooka (UK) def. Brand/Davis (MT) 8-4
Langley/Zito (MT) def. Vasily Eremeev/Justin Kirstein (TTU) 8-3
David O’Hare/Joe Salisbury (MEM) def. Langley/Zito (MT) 8-0
(8) Tom Jomby/Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Dickerson/Edwards 8-4

Friday’s Schedule (all times Central)
Main Draw – played at Knoxville Racquet Club
(7) Ben Davis (MT) vs. Austin Smith (BSU) at 8 a.m.
Matthew Langley (MT) vs. Joe West (DAY) at 7:30 a.m.
Cameron Dickerson (MT) vs. Michael Lippens (UL) at 7:30 a.m.
Forrest Edwards (MT) vs. Jeff Offerdahl (VU) at 9 a.m.

Consolation Draw – played at Goodfriend Tennis Center
Marlon Brand (MT) vs. Brandon Fickey (UT) at 10:30 a.m.
Ettore Zito (MT) vs. Arthur Valle (MSU) at 11:30 a.m.

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