Sept. 17, 2004

The trio of men's tennis newcomers all posted their first career wins in a Memphis uniform in the opening rounds of the Middle Tennessee Fall Invitational, Friday morning.

Senior Scott Felsenthal (Memphis, Tenn./White Station) used a 6-3, 6-3 straight set victory over Tennessee Tech's Borja Zarco to advance to the quarterfinals in the B1 Singles flight, while sophomore Sam Withell (Sydney, Australia/Barker College) picked up his first singles victory since suffering a back injury to miss the last half of last season, 6-3, 6-3, over Tennessee Tech's Michele Panzeri. Felsenthal will now face Southern Illinois' Lukasz Soswa, while Withell will square off with the winner of the Felipe Abreau (Belmont)/Tomas Gonzalez (Southern Illinois) match.

Freshman Bryan Bankester (Madison, Miss./Central) picked up his first collegiate singles win in the B2 Singles bracket, downing Western Kentucky's David Bowman, 7-6 (0), 6-0. Bankester will face Cumberland University's Brian Simon in the quarterfinals of the bracket.

Also in B2 singles, sophomore Garrison Pilant (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands) picked up his first Tiger victory with a 6-3, 6-0 decision over Southern Illinois' Nick Bauer. From the morning flight, only senior Andrew Olswing's (Memphis, Tenn./Ridgeway) results were not available at this time.

The remainder of the Tiger line-up was slated to begin singles play beginning at either 1:30 or 2:00 CST, Friday. The doubles portion of the draw will open Friday, at 5 p.m.

Play will continue Saturday with the remainder of the matches to be played outdoors on the Middle Tennessee campus.

Day One Memphis Results from Middle Tennessee Fall Invitational

Flight A1 Singles
Marco Born (MT) def. James Spence (UM), 7-6, 4-6, 10-8
Kai Schledorn (MT) def. Alex Bucewicz (UM), 2-6, 6-3, 10-4

Flight A2 Singles
Marten Tamla (UM) def. Jordan Magarik (South Alabama), 4-6, 6-3, 10-5
Andy Mack (Vanderbilt) def. Alex Jago (UM), 7-6 (4), 3-6, 10-4

Flight B1 Singles
Mark Finnegan (UM) received a first round bye
Scott Felsenthal (UM) def. Borja Zarco (Tennessee Tech), 6-3, 6-3
Sam Withell (UM) def. Michele Panzeri (Tennessee Tech), 6-3, 6-3
Andrew Olswing (UM) def. Chad True (Western Kentucky), 6-1, 6-2

Flight B2 Singles
Bryan Bankester (UM) def. David Bowman (Western Kentucky), 7-6 (0), 6-0
Garrison Pilant (UM) def. Brady McPherson (Cumberland), 6-3, 6-0

Flight One Doubles
Shonsoke Shimiza/Michele Panzeri (Tenn Tech) def. Tamla/Felsenthal (UM), 8-6
Finnegan/Withell (UM) def. Mikus Paipars/Stan Rabinovics (Western Kentucky), 8-2

Flight Two Doubles
Ignacio Gesto/Felipe Abreau (Belmont) def. Jago/Olswing (UM),8-5
Bankester/Pilant (UM) def. Franco Serra/Ryan Durham (Western Kentucky), 8-0