Utes Advance to Second Round at ITA All-American Championship's

Saturday, September 27

Tulsa, Okla.

TBA

University of Utah

ITA All-American Championships

Utes Advance to Second Round at ITA All-American Championship's

9/28/2014 12:00 AM | Men's Tennis

Sept. 28, 2014

TULSA, Okla. - The University of Utah men's tennis team saw three of their Utes advance to the second round of the pre-qualifying draw Saturday in the 2014 Saint Francis Health System ITA All-American Championships. Despite netting victories in the first round, the Utes were unable to carry the winning momentum into the second.

"Obviously I hoped that one of the guys would have continued to the qualifying draw, but we played hard and competed very well," said head coach Roeland Brateanu. "The guys are doing a great job in trying to execute those things we have worked on in practice and we are already playing a lot better tennis than a few weeks ago."

Senior Cedric Willems enjoyed a bye in the first round and prepared to face Northwestern's 26th-seeded Konrad Zieba in the second round. Willems put in a solid effort in the first set and won it 5-7, but couldn't overtake Zieba and fell 6-3, 7-6(6) in the subsequent sets. In consolation play on Sunday, Willems beat Chris Essick of Indiana in straight sets, 7-6(6), 6-2.

Sophomore Parker McGuiness emerged with a win in the first round when he captured the first set 6-1 against Max Phipps of Southern Illinois, who then retired in the second set. McGuiness was then defeated by Ohio State's Mikael Torpegaard, 7-5, 6-1 in the second round.

Junior Matt Cowley face Matt Barry of Penn State in the first round and captured a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory. Cowley then faced Frankie Colunga of Texas A&M in the second round, where he battled to three-sets but was unable to clinch the win and fell 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

The Utes will continue play at the All-American Championships when Cowley and Willems team up for doubles play on Tuesday in the qualifying draw.