Charlottesville, Va. – Five UMBC men's tennis competitors were in action at the ITA Atlantic regionals on Saturday and the day was highlighted by the continued outstanding doubles play of senior Daniel Gray (Bowie, Md./The Bullis School) and junior Alex Drean (Bayonne, France).
The seventh-seeded duo advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating the tandem of Samaii/Azuero of Liberty, 8-6. They will now face the No. 2 pairing (ranked 34 nationally) of Dias/Tverijonas of George Washington with the winner advancing to the semifinals.
In singles play, junior Melker Svard (Gothenburg, Sweden) won a grueling Round of 32 match over Will Juggins of William & Mary, prevailing 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. Svard won the first set in the next round against Old Dominion's Thoephile Lanthiez, but came up on the short end of a 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 decision.
Classmate Justin Carter (Randallstown, Md.) also prevailed in a long Round of 32 match, edging Zvonomir Podvinsky, of ODU, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5. But Carter failed to advance as he was edged by Virginia Tech's Florant Nicoud, 6-4, 6-4.
Drean and compatriot Eliott Loubatie (Paris, France), who each won first round matches, fell in the Round of 64. Drean dropped a 6-0, 6-1 decision to Penn State's Alex Fennell (seeded 9-16), while Loubatie battled the host school's Luca Corinteli, but was ousted, 6-1, 7-5.
Gray earned a victory in his consolation singles match, defeating Micheil Meekers of Radford, 7-5, 7-5.
