The Roanoke College Men's tennis team opened the fall season on Saturday by playing in the Randolph College WildCat Invitational. The participating schools were Randolph, Roanoke, Bridgewater, Lynchburg and Pfeiffer. The tournament flighted players into draws based on their UTR ranking.
Senior Jack Doriss had a very strong showing for the Maroons, advancing to the finals of Singles Flight 4 and teamed with Thomas Hodges, falling in the finals of Doubles Flight 2. Sophomore Mike Morell survived multiple match points in his match against Braxton Harris of Pfeiffer to advance to the finals of Flight 6. In his first college match, Jimmy Shifflet won his consolation match in flight 7 against Jose Merhej of Randolph with a score of 11-9 in the third set tiebreaker. Grayson White rebounded for a tough loss against Lynchburg's Daniel Christian by winning his consolation match against Pfieffer's Trey Speight while Jack Fishwick played through a left shoulder strain against some of the ODAC's best players. Up next for the Maroons- Coach Ragsdale will lead the team in the Randolph-Macon Invitational in late September.
Results:
- Singles Flight 1: Secord def. Fishwick 6-0, 6-1; Consolation: Alvarado def. Fishwick 6-0, 6-0.
- Singles Flight 2: Christian def. White 6-4, 6-1; Consolation White def. Speight.
- Singles Flight 4: Doriss def Kiser 6-1, 6-4; Finals: Shane def Doriss 6-1, 6-2.
- Singles Flight 5- Taylor def Hodges 6-1, 6-2; Consolation: McCLery def Hodges 6-3, 6-4.
- Singles Flight 6: Morel def Harris 6-1, 6-7, 11-9 ( tiebreaker), Finals: Oliver def Morell 6-0, 6-0.
- Singles Flight 7: Conaway def Shifflett 6-1, 6-0; Consolation: Shifflett def. Merjeh 1-6, 7-6, 11-9 (tiebreaker)
- Doubles Flight 1: Mullins/ Shane def Fishwick/White 8-5, Consolation: Ruiz/Masters def Fishwick/White 8-2.
- Doubles Flight 2: Doriss/ Hodges def. Taylor/ Speight 8-3, Finals: Alvarado/ Kulvivat def. Doriss/ Hodges 8-2.
- Doubles Flight 4: Rand/ Coffton def Morell/ Shiflett 8-7. Consolation: Williard/ Pullin def Morell/ Shiflett 8-3.
