TUCSON, Ariz. (September 21, 2019) – Northern Arizona University men's tennis player, sophomore
Mikael Purne, advances to the final match of his draw, while two others won the final consolation doubles match on Day Two of the Wildcat Invitational.
Purne continues tomorrow morning in the finals to face UNCO's Alex Exsted. During round one, he played GCU's Maxim Kirsch, winning 6-4 and 6-1. Later during the day, he went against another GCU player, Sascha Kovacevic going 7-5 and 6-3 for a win.
Freshman Eban Straker-Mead headed into the semi-finals today after successfully winning his first two singles matches yesterday as a Lumberjack. He won in his first match against a NMSU's freshman, Jordy Visser, and then won in his second match against Arizona's freshman, Hiroki Sakagawa. Against Sakagawa, Straker-Mead going 6-2 and 6-3. Today, after playing in the semi-finals against BYU's senior David Ball, he lost his winning streak. He played to the best of three games, going 5-7, 7-5 and 4-6.
The duo of Alex Groves and
Chris Steele advanced into the semifinals of their doubles matches after winning their early Friday morning match against BYU's Vereau and Barnett and again this morning against NMSU's Martin Simecek and Luis Flores. Groves and Steele's win streak ultimately broke to Arizona's doubles team during the semifinals.
David Nguyen and Purne lost in during their doubles final draw against SDSU after beating Arizona in the semifinals.
Facundo Tumosa and Straker-Mead found success in their consolation doubles final match, winning against Arizona.
The 'Jacks will continue on to their third day at the Wildcat Invitational tomorrow.
