Florida Tech Panthers Enjoy Continued Success At Panther Invitational

By  //  September 20, 2015

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Following a strong opening day at the Panther Invitational, Florida Tech once again had a successful outing Saturday at Fee Avenue Park and the on-campus courts. (Florida Tech Image)

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Following a strong opening day at the Panther Invitational, Florida Tech once again had a successful outing Saturday at Fee Avenue Park and the on-campus courts.

On the men’s side, Aria Canadell upended teammate Ricardo Corona 6-3, 6-4, while JJ Clark won 6-4, 6-3 over Webber International’s Oscar Alvarez. Gerard Carpinell improved to 2-0 in flight 3 with a 7-6, 6-4 victory against the Warriors’ Carlos Niemeyer and Silviu Solomon bounced back from Friday’s loss with a 6-3, 2-6, 10-6 win against Scott Lanser of WIU.

Jamison Burch also avenged a Friday defeat, besting WIU’s Victor Zapparoli 6-1, 6-3. Tjimon Louisy and Majed Alshaikh will battle for the flight 7 crown on Sunday after Louisy defeated the Warriors’ Jordi Rosello 6-0, 6-1 and Alshaikh took down Jonathan Cheng of Eckerd 6-3, 6-4.

A Panther duel will also decide flight 8 as Ivan Shapovalov and Wade Ball both improved to 2-0. Shapovalov won 6-0, 6-1 over Webber International’s Gustavo Fortunato, while Ball scored a 6-2, 6-3 victory against the Tritons’ Brian Felman.

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Jose Martinez

Jose Martinez rounded out Saturday’s men’s singles action with a tight 6-2, 3-6, 10-7 decision over Carlos Meneses of Palm Beach Atlantic.

In doubles, Corona and JJ Clark started out flight 1 with an 8-6 victory against Youssa Adiyasa and Victor Appelquist of Eckerd, while Canadell and Louisy improved to 2-0 in flight 2 with an 8-6 win against WIU’s Luka Volt and Niemeyer.

Martinez and Kleanthis Zisis Tegou took an 8-6 win against Cheng and Felman of EC, while Alshaikh and Burch snagged an 8-4 victory against fellow Panthers Foresight Okungbow and Carpinell.

For the women, Chloe Chanley bounced back from an opening round loss, topping PBA’s Valeriia Nagovitcina 3-6, 6-2, 10-7. Sophomores Kayla Hergott and Erin Egoroff will meet in the championship in flight 2 after each recorded wins Saturday. Hergott advanced 6-4, 6-1 over the Sailfish’s Maja Jovic, while Egoroff was victorious against Yoanna Peshev of PBA 6-3, 7-6.

Flight 3 will also feature a battle of Panthers for the title after Lauren Stuckey topped PBA’s Julia Cusumano and Mariana Castaneiras won 6-2, 6-1 against Tampa’s Emily Hewland. Another Panther duo will face off in the flight 4 final. Meritt Rabson registered a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Eckerd’s Isabella Wong, while Jessica Widmark was too much for teammate Caroline Walter, winning 6-2, 6-2.

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Flight 5 will be the final grouping to feature an all-FIT championship. Larissa Kiyoku defeated teammate Flavia Zisi Tegou 6-4, 6-3, while Greta Polo upended Samantha Martin of Eastern Florida State 6-1, 6-0.

In doubles action, Castaneiras and Hergott teamed up to overtake PBA’s Cusumano and Michaela Mignemi 8-4.

The Panther Invitational will conclude on Sunday at Fee Avenue Park and the on-campus tennis courts.