COLUMBIA, S.C.--More than 25 D-I and D-II colleges and universities competed at this weekend’s USC Men’s Fall Invitational. Among them were top-ranked D-I Wake Forest and South Carolina and D-II powerhouse Armstrong Atlantic State, member of the Peach Belt Conference.

The invitational was broken into A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2, and B-3 singles and doubles matches. The Pacers were did not come away with any championships, but did win key B-2 and B-3 singles matches.

Freshman John Percival advanced through two rounds of play after defeating Furman’s Cameron Babbit 6-3;7-5 and Temple’s Rob Spencer 6-4;6-2. In the B-3 quarterfinals Percival lost to Nicholas Hudson of Hampton 6-1;6-4.

Carlos Huerta and Nicola Lombardo were defeated in the B-2 singles but advanced to play well in the consolation rounds. Lombardo defeated Kazuya Otani of South Carolina in the last round of B-1 consolation 6-2;7-6.

Invitational winners were as follows, singles: A-1 Blake Strode (UARK), A-2 Ralph Knupfer (Rice), B-1 Mike Jung (UARK), B-2 Justin Malina (CC), B-3 Jim Khougassian (UARK); doubles: A-1 Cuellar/Knorr (USC), B-1 Escobedo/Serrano (ETSU), B-2 Janashia/Trottet.

Spring season play will begin on Friday, February 3, at 2 p.m., as the Pacers face Queens University of Charlotte.

Participating Teams
Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU)
Belmont University (Belmont)
Benedict College (Benedict)
Clemson University (CU)
Coastal Carolina (Coastal)
College of Charleston (CC)
East Carolina University (ECU)
East Tennessee State University (ETSU)
Francis Marion University (FMU)
Furman University (Furman)
Gardner Webb University (GWU)
Georgia Southern University (GSU)
Hampton University (Hampton)
Jacksonville State University (JSU)
North Carolina State University (NCSU)
Rice University (Rice)
South Carolina State University (SCSU)
Temple University (Temple)
University of Arkansas (UARK)
University of Florida (UF)
University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA)
University of South Carolina (USC)
University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA)
Wake Forest University (Wake)
Yale University (Yale)

Day One (Friday)
Doubles- B-2 (round of 16)
W. Shaw/J. Weinacker (NCSU) def. F.Guevara/C. Huerta (USCA) 8-4
D. Escobedo/ S. Serrano (ETSU) def. R. Constantino/N. Lombardo (USCA) 8-2
A. Amores/D. Pazsoldan (JSU) def. P. Negri/J. Percival (USCA) 8-2

Singles- B-3 (round of 32)
John Percival (USCA) def. Cameron Babbit (Furman) 6-3;7-5
Singles- B-3 (round of 16)
John Percival (USCA) def. Rob Spencer (Temple) 6-4;6-2
Singles- B-3- quarterfinals
Nicholas Hudson (Hampton) def. John Percival (USCA) 6-1;6-4

Day Two (Saturday)
Singles- B-1 (round of 32)
Franklyn Emmanuel (FMU) def. Negri Pierre (USCA) 6-2;6-2
Gabriel Groh (Hampton) def. Fernando Guevara (USCA) 6-3;6-0
Singles- B-1 consolation
Ricardo Barone (ECU) def. Fernando Guevara (USCA) NS
Zack Tobiaas (Wake) def. Pierre Negri (USCA) NS

Singles- B-2 (round of 32)
Justin Marlina (CC) def. Nicola Lombardo (USCA) 6-2;6-7;6-3
Ryan Urba (Coastal) def. Carlos Huerta (USCA) 6-4;6-1
Ryan Cook (Clemson) def. Renan Constantino (USCA) 6-1;6-2
Singles- B-2 consolation-1st round
Fiaz Mohammed (Benedict) def. Renan Constantino (USCA) 6-2;6-2
Carlos Huerta (USCA) def. Felipe Abreu (Belmont) NS
Nicola Lombardo (USCA) def. Britton Steele (ECU) 6-2; 6-3
Singles- B-2 consolation-quarterfinals
Diego Pazsoldan (JSU) def. Carlos Huerta (USCA) 3-6;6-1;1-0
Nicola Lombardo (USCA) def. Kazuya Otani (USC) 6-2;7-6

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