Friday, 11/15/2013

NORMAN, Okla. – OU sophomore Axel Alvarez reached the semifinals of the ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Tennis Championships at the ITA Billie Jean Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y.

All four Sooners entered in the tournament began Friday second round with three advancing to the third round. It was the first time since 2008 that one school had three competitors reach the quarterfinals.

Alvarez dropped Baylor’s Julian Lenz 6-1, 6-0 in the second round and then dispatched Colombia’s Winston Lin 6-3, 6-3. He faces UCLA’s Clay Thompson in Saturday’s semifinals.

Andrew Harris faced Notre Dame’s Greg Andrews in the second round. After losing the first set, the freshman rallied and beat the Irishman 2-6, 7-5, 6-3. Harris played Illinois’ Jared Hiltzik late Friday, falling 6-4, 6-4 in the third round.

Guillermo Alcorta eliminated Georgia’s Nathan Pasha 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 in the second round, but then lost in his third match 6-4, 6-2 to Thompson.

The remaining Sooners started play in the Bulldog Scramble at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga., Friday.

Nick Papac beat Vanderbilt’s Ryan Smith in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 in the first round. The junior earned his second straight set win in the second round, defeating Furman’s Ben Horst 6-4, 6-2.

Austin Siegel took down Vanderbilt’s Kris Yee 7-5, 6-2 and then beat LSU’s Eric Perez 6-1, 6-2.

Alex Ghilea lost to LSU’s Chris Simpson 5-7, 7-5, 7-5. The freshman went on to play Georgia Tech’s Nathan Rakitt in the second round, falling to the Yellow Jacket 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

Siegel and Ghilea lost their first match in doubles play 6-4 to Georgia Tech’s Carlos Benito and Nathan Rakitt.

“Austin and Nick had two good wins today,” OU associate head coach Bo Hodge said. “I’m excited to watch them compete the rest of the weekend.

“Alex played a very good first match and had a lot of chances against LSU’s number one guy. In his second match he let some opportunities get by, but he has two more matches this weekend and I’m looking forward to seeing how he responds.”

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