Oct. 7, 2015
TULSA, Okla. (UCFKnights.com) - Three members of the UCF men's tennis team concluded play at the ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa. Juniors Chris Barrus, Mariano Porter and Inaki Espindola represented the Black and Gold at the event.
In the doubles draw, Barrus and Espindola went to three sets before losing to UNC Charlotte's Vikram Hundal and Jordi Massalle Ferrer, 3-6, 6-2, 1-0.
All three Knights competed in singles play. After opening the pre-qualifying draw with two wins, Barrus lost a close match against Felix Rach of Memphis, 7-6, 7-6. In the pre-qualifying consolation draw, Espindola posted a victory over Oral Roberts' Braxton Bates, 6-2, 6-0.
Porter, the only Knight in the qualifying draw, dropped a pair of matches on Sunday.
The Knights return to the courts on Oct. 16 in Gainesville for the ITA South Regional Championships.
Chris Barrus
Pre-qualifying rd. of 64, lost to Felix Rauch Memphis, 7-6(3), 7-6(9)
Mariano Porter
First rd. qualifying, lost to (Q) John Mee Texas, 7-5, 6-2 Qualifying consolation, lost to Tommy Mylnikov Texas Tech, 6-2, 6-2
Inaki Espindola
Pre-qualifying consolation, defeated Braxton Bates Oral Roberts, 6-2, 6-0
Chris Barrus / Inaki Espindola
Qualifying rd. 128, lost to Hundal/Massalle Ferrer UNC Charlotte, 3-6, 6-2, 1-0(4)
Story by Becca Burkhardt. Photos by Brad Helton.