Vikings Advance Three To Semi-Finals At Ball State Invitational
    Doubles Partners Haming & Orno To Meet In
    Ryan Hamning will face teammate Phil Orno in the

    Ryan Hamning will face teammate Phil Orno in the

    Sept. 26, 2009

    Contact: Brian McCann

    MUNCIE, Indiana -- Cleveland State advanced three players to the semi-finals of the top two singles flights and one doubles team to the "B" Flight doubles to highlight play on the second day of the Ball State Invitational.

    "We had a great day in singles," CSU assistant coach Jay Tee said. "We went 5-1 in the "A" flight and 8-3 overall. That is a great signal of the quality and depth that we have on the team this year

    "Our mental toughness really showed as we had three players go to the third set to win matches today and even when we dropped the first set, our kids continued to battle. This has been a great experience for them."

    The Vikings are assured of having at least one player in the "A" Flight finals as seniors Phil Orno and Ryan Hamning will play each other on Sunday morning the semifinals.

    "It is unfortunate that they have to play each other, but I am sure that just like in practice matches, they will fight each other on every point," Tee said.

    Orno reached the finals after defeating Marquette's Mark Rutherford in the opening round and Illinois State's Filip Miljevic in three sets in the quarterfinals. Hamning took a similar route, winning in straight sets over Sumit Gupta from Louisville in the round of 16 and out-lasting Marquette's Octavio Prim, 7-5, 4-6, 10-8 in the quarter-finals.

    CSU's other "A" Flight player, Yannick Goosens, won his first match of the day, 7-6, 7-5, over Ball State's Eduardo Pavia but lost in the quarter-finals to Detroit Piotr Necajeuz, 7-5, 6-2.

    In the "B" singles flight, junior Rob Fox advanced to the semi-finals after sweeping past Ball State's Zane Smith, 6-4, 6-1 and Matija Palinic from Detroit, 6-4, 6-4.

    The doubles play was a different story for CSU as the Vikings could only manage a 3-3 record in the four flights, advancing just one team to the championship contest.

     

     

    "By the time we got too doubles play, our guys were worn out mentally from all of their success in singles," Tee said. "It took a little while to bounce back, and by then the doubles damage was done."

    In the "B" Doubles draw, the Viking team of Robert Fox and John Haley defeated teams from Illinois State and IUPUI en route to a spot in the finals.

    The Vikings conclude play in the tourney on Sunday.

    Ball State Invitational
    Second Day Results

    "A" Singles
    Yannick Goosens (CSU) def. Eduardo Pavia (Ball State), 7-6, 7-5
    Piotr Necajeuz (Detroit) def. Goosens (CSU), 7-5, 6-2
    Goosens eliminated from draw

    Phil Orno (CSU) def. Mark Rutherford (Marquette), 7-5, 6-4
    Orno (CSU) def. Filip Miljevic (Ill. State), 2-6, 6-3, 10-8

    Ryan Hamning (CSU) def. Sumit Gupta (Louisville), 7-6, 6-4
    Hamning (CSU) def. Octavio Prim (Marquette), 7-5, 4-6, 10-8
    (Hamning advances to semi-finals)

    "B" Singles
    Robert Fox (CSU) def. Zane Smith (Ball State), 6-4, 6-1
    Fox (CSU) def. Matija Palinic (Detroit), 6-4, 6-4
    Fox advances to semi-finals

    Jay Jones (CSU) def. Anthony Palmenter (Xavier), 2-6, 6-4, 10-7
    Drake Kakar (Marquette) def. Jones (CSU), 6-2, 6-3
    Jones eliminated from draw

    Ben Schafer (Butler) def. Adam Perkins (CSU), 6-0, 6-3
    Perkins eliminated from draw

    "A" Doubles
    Raynauld/Warren (Butler) def. Hamning/Orno (CSU), 8-4

    "B" Doubles
    Fox/John Haley (CSU) def. Riart-Ferrer/Ryce Span (Ill. State), 8-6
    Fox/Haley (CSU) def. Klingendorf/Vasalakis (IUPUI), 8-1
    Fox/Haley advance to finals

    "C" Doubles Goosens/Chris Klepatz (CSU) def. Nelson/Wesley (Green Bay), 8-4
    Graetu/Polanes (DePaul) def. Goosens/Klepatz (CSU), 8-6
    Goosens/Klepatz eliminated from draw

    "D" Doubles
    Stabley/Tolonei (Detroit) def, Jones/Aris Spirtos (CSU), 8-6