Oct. 9, 2008

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State men's tennis plays well in the first day of the Utah State Fall Invitational Thursday with three Aggies advancing to the quarterfinals on Friday.

Live Men's Results

In singles action, junior Amit Maharaj defeated Weber State's Travis Covington, 7-5, 6-3, while teammate freshman Jordan Wasden upset sixth-seeded Erik Sheldon of Boise State, 7-6, 6-7, 6-2. Freshman Jordan Barlow and sophomore Bryan Marchant played well in the round of 32, shutting down Dan Lindsay and WSU's Nelson Whiting, 6-0, 6-0, respectively.

After receiving a first round bye, sophomore Jakob Asplund started play in the round of 16. He defeated WSU's Nick Plum, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals. Wasden won, 6-4, 6-0, over Weber State's Doug Alves, while Marchant defeated No. 5 Jared Burnham of Weber State, 6-4, 6-2, and all three will be advancing to the quarterfinal round on Friday.

Both the top singles player (Henning Hipp of WSU) and top doubles team (Hipp and Sascha Kiehne of WSU) advanced through to the next round.

"I think we had some good matches today," said USU assistant coach Fernando Gallegos. "We have three players advancing to the quarterfinals in the singles main draw, and we are expecting more good things in tomorrow's rounds."

In doubles action, junior Matt Searle and Wasden partnered to defeat WSU's Lindsay and Matt Thatcher, 8-3. Also in the first round of doubles Maharaj and Asplund defeated Alves and Whiting, 8-4, while sophomore Alex Thatcher and freshman Brandon Nielsen won a close match, 9-8, (7-1), against WSU's Covington and Chris Williams.

The Aggies will continue action at the Sports Academy and Racquet Club Friday. All matches will be played indoors.

Singles
Round of 32
Amit Maharaj (USU) def. Travis Covington (WSU), 7-5, 6-3
(7) Michael Gilliland (BSU) def. Mike Banks (USU), 6-0, 6-0
Bryan Marchant (USU) def. Nelson Whiting (WSU), 6-0, 6-0
Jordan Barlow (USU) def. Dan Lindsay*, 6-0, 6-0
Jordan Wasden (USU) def. (6) Erik Sheldon (BSU), 7-6, 6-7, 6-2
Spencer Marchant (WSU) def. Brandon Nielsen (USU), 6-2, 6-3
(5) Jared Burnham* def. Matt Braithwaite (USU), 6-4, 6-1
Cole Paterson (WSU) def. Alex Thatcher (WSU), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
Chris Williams (WSU) def. Matt Searle (USU), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
Nick Plum (WSU) def. Liran Braun (USU), 6-1, 6-1
(2) Jakob Asplund def. BYE

Round of 16
Henning Hipp (WSU) def. Amit Maharaj (USU), 6-1, 6-1
Bryan Marchant (USU) def. (7) Michael Gilliland (BSU), 7-6, 3-6, 7-6
Sascha Kiehne (WSU) def. Jordan Barlow (USU), 6-2, 6-4
Jordan Wasden (USU) def. Doug Alves (WSU), 6-4, 6-0
Jakob Asplund (USU) def. Nick Plum (WSU), 6-3, 6-3

Singles Consolation
Round 1
Banks (USU) def. Whiting, 6-3, 6-3
Nielsen def. Braithwaite (USU) , 6-0, 6-2
A. Thatcher (USU) def. Searle (USU), 6-3, 7-5
Braun (USU) def. BYE

Doubles
Round of 16
Searle/Wasden (USU) def. Lindsay/M. Thatcher, 8-3
Coleman/Gilliland def. Braithwaite/Barlow (USU), 8-4
Burnham/Plum def. Banks/B. Marchant (USU), 8-6
Maharaj/Asplund (USU) def. Alves/Whiting, 8-4
A. Thatcher/Nielsen (USU) def. Covington/Williams, 9-8 (7-1)

Quarterfinals
Hipp/Kiehne (WSU) def. Searle/Wasden (USU), 8-4
Brunham/Plum (WSU) def. Maharaj/Asplund (USU), 8-5
Roberson/Sheldon (BSU) def. Nielsen/A. Thatcher (USU), 8-3

Doubles Consolation
Round 1
Bouton/Gallegos* def. Barlow/Braithwaite (USU), 8-5
Banks/B. Marchant (USU) def. Alves/Whiting (WSU), 8-4

* = Unattached Player(s)

-USU-