Four Blue Raiders earn singles victories at Crimson Tide tournament

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Middle Tennessee men’s tennis team collected four singles wins and a pair of doubles victories on a dreary Friday at the Crimson Tide Fall Championships on the campus of the University of Alabama. Four Blue Raiders won singles matches in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Senior Matthew Langley and freshmen Ettore Zito, Forrest Edwards and Marlon Brand were each victorious in singles action. Langley dominated the first set against Furman’s Andrew Mello, 6-0, then earned a 6-3 victory in the second set. Zito earned 6-2 and 6-4 wins, while Edwards was impressive with 6-0 and 6-1 victories over UAB’s Lucas Dirube. Brand claimed a 6-2 win in the first set and edged Boston College’s Klaus Puestow, 7-5, for the match victory.

All three doubles duos also advanced to the Round of 16. Full results from Friday and Saturday’s slate are below.

Friday’s Results
Singles
Matthew Langley (MT) def. Andrew Mello (Furman) 6-0, 6-3
Hunter Koontz (VT) def. Cameron Dickerson (MT) 6-4, 6-0
Ettore Zito (MT) def. Fernando Costa (Samford) 6-2, 6-4
Forrest Edwards (MT) def. Lucas Dirube (UAB) 6-0, 6-1
Rodrigo Rappaccioli (Tulane) def. Dimitri Pippos (MT) 6-2, 6-4
Marlon Brand (MT) def. Klaus Puestow (BC) 6-2, 7-5

Doubles
Matthew Langley/Ettore Zito (MT) def. Dauw Kruger/Christian Kuehne (USA) 8-5
Forrest Edwards/Dimitri Pippos (MT) def. Adam Bernstein/Coby Kramer-Golinkoff (Tulane) 8-2

Saturday’s Schedule
Main Draw
Singles
Matthew Langley (MT) vs. Chris Simich (UL), 10 a.m.
Ettore Zito (MT) vs. Dante Terenzio (UL), 10 a.m.
Forrest Edwards (MT) vs. Jovan Zelikovic (USM), 11:15 a.m.
Marlon Brand (MT) vs. Harris Barnard (UA), 12:30 p.m.

Doubles
Matthew Langley/Ettore Zito (MT) vs. Alex Brym/Austin Smith (BSU)
Forrest Edwards/Dimitri Pippos (MT) vs. Vikram Reddy/Michael Thompson (UA)
Marlon Brand/Cameron Dickerson (MT) vs. Hanno Bartsch/Blake Gregor (USA)

Consolation Draw
Singles
Cameron Dickerson (MT) vs. Alex Skinner (BC), 10 a.m.
Dimitri Pippos (MT) vs. Alex Brym (BSU), 12 p.m.

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