Air Force Academy
UNM Balloon Fiesta
Falcons Open 2006 Season at UNM Tournament
10/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Oct. 6, 2006
The Air Force men's tennis team opened the 2006 fall season Friday at the Balloon Fiesta Classic in Albuquerque, N.M., hosted by the University of New Mexico. The Falcons, who enter the season with just three seniors and seven freshmen, showed well at the first tournament of the season.
Leading the way was freshman Mike Youn, who won both of his singles matches in the top flight. He defeated Alejandro De Mucha of New Mexico State, 6-4, 6-1, in the first round, then beat UNM's Chandler Brass, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, in the second round. Youn, from Glendale, Calif., will face the top-seed Graeme Kassautzki of New Mexico in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Freshman Brett Rodgers was the only other Falcons to win his first round match in the top flight Friday. Rodgers downed Renato Varella of Western New Mexico, 6-1, 6-3, then fell to Joe Nicolazzi of New Mexico, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the second round.
In the "B" flight, sophomore Kyle Epperson defeated Chris Wetzig of Denver, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 in the first round. Epperson lost his second round match, 6-4, 6-1, to Mitchell Brown of Arizona.
In doubles play, the Falcons have two teams in the quarterfinals. Rodgers and senior Robby Alexander received a bye in the first round, then defeated Jeremy Behm-Meyer and Paul Tschetter of Northern Colorado, 8-1. Senior Keith Cronican and freshman James Tomlin are also in the quarters after winning two matches on Friday. They beat Wetzig and Michael Beron of Denver, 8-5, then captured a wild 9-8 decision over Gustav Diep and Roman Stoisavjevic of New Mexico State.
The tournament continues on Saturday and finishes on Sunday.
