Sept. 24, 2011
ATHENS, Ga. - Auburn's four individuals competing at the Southern Intercollegiate went 7-4 on Saturday with two singles players and a doubles team advancing to the quarterfinals in their respective brackets.
Junior Lucas Lopasso won all four of his matches on the day, advancing to the quarterfinals in both singles and doubles. Playing in the Division II singles bracket, Lopasso defeated Mathieu Froment of Minnesota, 6-2, 7-5, in the round of 32. He then took down another Golden Gopher in Julian Dahn, 6-2, 6-1, to advance to the quarterfinal round on Sunday. He will face NC State's Robbie Madge at 9:30 a.m.
In doubles, Lopasso teamed up with sophomore Rafael Rondino to roll past the Mercer duo of John Bauerle and Vincent DeLise, 8-1. The Tiger pairing then punched their ticket to the quarterfinals with an 8-4 win over Juan Pablo Ramirez and Brendan Ruddock of Minnesota. Lopasso and Rondino will face a mixed pairing of Will Rollinson of NC State and Mauricio Antun of Virginia Tech at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
Sophomore Liam Gomez also improved to 3-0 in singles on the season with a pair of wins Saturday. In the round of 32, he defeated Liberty's Shea Thomas, 6-4, 7-6 (3), then came back in the round of 16 to outlast Hunter Koontz of Virginia Tech, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-5. He will square off against Lucas Santana of Georgia State at 10 a.m. Sunday.
Gomez would also team up with junior Michael Wardell to win their round of 32 doubles match against Jon and Zack Pine of Virginia Tech, 8-6. However, the Tiger duo would fall in the round of 16 to the Kentucky pairing of Maks Gold and Ryuji Hirooka, 8-6.
In other singles action, Wardell fell in straight sets to NC State's Austin Powell, 6-4, 6-3. And in the consolation bracket, sophomore Rafael Rondino dropped his match to Georgia State's Ismael Lahlos, 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (11-9).
Quarterfinal play in both singles and doubles gets underway Sunday morning at the Dan Magill Tennis Center.
Auburn Results
Division II Singles - Round of 32
Lucas Lopasso (AU) def. Mathier Froment (MINN), 6-2, 7-5
Austin Powell (NCSU) def. Michael Wardell (AU), 6-4, 6-3
Liam Gomez (AU) def. Shea Thomas (Liberty), 6-4, 7-6 (3)
Division II Singles - Round of 16
Lucas Lopasso (AU) def. Julian Dahn (MINN), 6-2, 6-1
Liam Gomez (AU) def. Hunter Koontz (VT), 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-5
Division II Singles - Consolation
Ismael Lahlos (Georgia St.) def. Rafael Rondino (AU), 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (11-9)
Division II Doubles - Round of 32
Lucas Lopasso/Rafael Rondino (AU) def. John Bauerle/Vincent DeLise (Mercer), 8-1
Michael Wardell/Liam Gomez (AU) def. Jon Pine/Zach Pine (VT), 8-6
Division II Doubles - Round of 16
Lopasso/Rondino (AU) def. Juan Pablo Ramirez/Brendan Ruddock (MINN), 8-4
Maks Gold/Ryuji Hirooka (UK) def. Wardell/Gomez (AU), 8-6