Nov. 5, 1999

The Notre Dame men’s tennis team compiled a 7-1 record in singles to advance five players into the third round of singles at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Region IV championships at Wisconsin on Friday. Top-seeded senior All-American Ryan Sachire, junior Matt Daly, and sophomores Andrew Laflin, Casey Smith and Javier Taborga all advanced to the third round. After a first-round bye Sachire rolled to a 6-2, 6-2 win over Northwestern’s Josh Axler to set up a third-round match with Minnesota’s Harsh Mankad. Tenth-seeded Daly also received a bye and then defeated Eastern Michigan’s Jason Yue 7-6 (7-5), 6-1. He next faces Michigan State’s Ken Kigongo.

A trio of Irish sophomores also reached the third round. Laflin beat Indiana’s Paul Jacobson 6-1, 6-2 in the first round before eliminating Wisconsin’s 18th-seeded Danny Westerman 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5). Minnesota’s 14th-seeded Thomas Haug awaits Laflin next. Taborga won 6-1, 6-2 over Purdue’s Scott Mayer and then knocked out Northwestern’s 22nd-seeded Joost Hol 6-2, 6-4. Taborga will take on Indiana’s 13th-seeded Ian Aarons. Smith, seeded 23rd, breezed to a 6-0, 6-1 second-round win over Purdue’s Carl McCafferty after a first-round bye. He meets Illinois’ sixth-seeded Jeff Laski next. Junior Mark Overdevest lost a tight 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 match to Purdue’s Derek Miller in the first round.

The Irish doubles teams of Sachire and Trent Miller and Taborga and Aaron Talarico received byes and will play second-round matches on Saturday. Sophomore James Malhame and junior Ashok Raju lost 8-6 to Louisville’s Carvalho and Conley in the doubles first round.