Ettore Zito wins first two matches at ITA All-American Championships

TULSA, Okla. - Middle Tennessee men's tennis sophomore Ettore Zito won his first two matches in pre-qualifying at the Intercollegiate Tennis Associaton All-American Championships in Tulsa on Saturday.

Zito won his opening match at Case Tennis Center 6-3, 6-3 over Diogo Casa of UTSA. Later in the day, Zito took down Rafael Cuadrillero of Southern Illinois 6-4, 6-0. He is now 5-0 in singles this fall. Zito will take on Ayrton Wibowo of Clemson in the third round of pre-qualifying Sunday morning. Christoph Lang battled through his match in pre-qualifying against Jimmy Roebker of Xavier but lost 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

The Blue Raiders also continued play in the UTC Steve Baras Fall Classic in Chattanooga Saturday. Middle Tennessee had two singles players as well as a doubles team in the semifinals of their flights Saturday. However, the results were not in the Blue Raiders favor. Sophomore Yannick Born lost to East Tennessee State's Rogerio Ordieg 6-2, 6-2 in the Flight 2 semifinals. Freshman Tomas Legzdins suffered his first singles loss of the fall against Jorge Varon of East Tennessee State 6-2, 6-3 in Flight 3.

Born and doubles partner Marlon Brand also lost 8-5 to UNC Greensboro's Randy Phillips and Jimmy Dougherty. Brand did win his singles match in the consolation draw of Flight 3. He bounced back from a 7-5 loss in the first set to Jackson Pride of The Citadel to win the second set 6-1. Brand then won a supertiebreaker third set 10-5 to win the match.

Middle Tennessee will wrap up play in Chattanooga on Sunday, with the Blue Raiders in Tulsa continuing play at the ITA All-American Championships.

RESULTS

ITA All-American Championships (Tulsa, Okla.)

Ettore Zito (MT) def. Diogo Casa (UTSA) 6-3, 6-3

Ettore Zito (MT) def. Rafael Cuadrillero (SIU) 6-4, 6-0

Jimmy Roebker (XAVIER) def. Christoph Lang (MT) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3

UTC Steve Baras Fall Classic (Chattanooga, Tenn.)

Doubles

Randy Phillips/Jimmy Dougherty (UNCG) def. Yannick Born/Marlon Brand (MT) 8-5

Singles

Marlon Brand (MT) def. Jackson Pride (CIT) 5-7, 6-1, 1-0 (10-5)

Rogerio Ordieg (ETSU) def. Yannick Born (MT) 6-2, 6-2

Jorge Varon (ETSU) def. Tomas Legzdins (MT) 6-2, 6-3

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