Annapolis, Md. – UMBC opened play at Navy's Joe Hunt Invitational on Friday as three players advanced to the semi-finals in singles competition.
Senior Jaan Kononov (Talinn, Estonia) picked up where he left off last spring, winning a pair of matches in straight sets in the A Flight singles competition. Kononov defeated Delaware's Michael Furr, 6-3, 6-0 and then ousted George Mason's Jimmy Lange, 6-3, 6-1.
In the B flight singles, senior Alex Drean (Bayonne, France) opened with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Army's Daniel Zheng. He then knocked off fourth-seeded Peter Beatty of Georgetown, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 to also advance to Saturday's semi-finals.
In the C flight competition, senior Eliott Loubatie (Paris, France) defeated Venkatesh Ramkumar of Delawrae, 6-3, 6-2 and took out Tanner Baine of George Mason, 6-3, 6-1.
In A Flight doubles, Drean and senior Justin Carter (Randallstown, Md.) advanced via a walkover and sophomores Kevin Hsieh (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) and Vijay Golla (Bowie, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) moved on with a 6-2 win over St. Bonaventure in C Flight Doubles.
A Flight Singles-First Round
Jaan Kononov, UMBC def. Michael Furr, Delaware, 6-3, 6-0
Eduardo Irizarry, St. Bonaventure def. Justin Carter, UMBC, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
Second Round
Kononov def. Jimmy Lange, Geo. Mason, 6-3, 6-1
Consolation
Carter def. Stratton Gilmore, Mary Washington, 6-1, 6-4
B Flight Singles-First Round
Alex Drean, UMBC def. Daniel Zheng, Army, 6-2, 6-2
Shane Jaffray, Del., def. Melker Svard, UMBC, 4-6, 6-1, 2-1, ret.
Second Round
Drean def. Peter Beatty, Georgetown, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
C Flight Singles-First Round
Tucker Massie, Navy, def. Biyik Akinshemoyin, UMBC, 6-7 (7), 6-1, 7-5
Eliott Loubatie, UMBC def. Venkatesh Ramkumar, Delaware, 6-3, 6-2
Second Round
Loubatie def. Tanner Baine, George Mason, 6-3, 6-1
Consolation
Miki Nobuzawa, St. Bonaventure def. Akinshemoyin, 6-4, 7-5
E Flight Singles-First Round
Maros Januvka, Temple, def. Kevin Hsieh, 6-2, 7-5
Parker Hayslett, Navy, def. Vijay Golla, UMBC, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
Consolation
Hsieh, def. Alex Cragg, Mary Washington, 6-3, 6-3
Golla def. Nolan Perugini, Mary Washington, 2-6, 6-2, 6-0
A Flight Doubles-First Round
Jaan Kononov/Melker Svard, UMBC, lost, walkover (injury)
Justin Carter/Alex Drean, UMBC won, walkover (injury)
B Flight Doubles-First Round
Zheng/Shannon, Army, def. Loubatie/Akinshemoyin, UMBC, 6-1
C Flight Doubles-First Round
Hsieh/Golla, UMBC def. Hristov/Mishkin, St. Bonaventure, 6-2
