October 9, 1998

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Notre Dame mens tennis team completed the second day of the Thunderbird Invitational Collegiate Tennis Tournament held at Arizona State. The Irish doubles team of sophomore Matt Daly and freshman Casey Smith advanced to the semifinals of the doubles draw after beating Rices Shane Stone and Efe Ustundag by an 8-5 score.

Senior captains Brian Patterson and Andy Warford lost to Illinois Oliver Freelove and Jeff Laski 8-5 after beating Mississippis 43rd-ranked team of Martin Sjoqvist and Martin Seline 8-1 in the second round late Thursday. The freshman team of Javier Taborga and Aaron Talarico lost their quarterfinal match to Minnesotas Ryan Davies and Carl Schloss. Taborga and Talarico had beaten the 11th-ranked team in the country, David Hodges and Johann Jooste from Baylor, 9-8 (7-3) in the second round late Thursday.

In the Maroon singles round-robin competition, Daly and Laflin remain unbeaten at 4-0 after two more wins on Friday. Daly beat Rices Sasha Silver 6-2, 6-3 and Arizona States Miles Ragers 6-3, 6-2. Laflin won 6-3, 6-3 and 6-4, 6-3 over Arizona States Hiro Nagashina and Amir Ran. Talarico won two matches with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Davies and 7-6, 6-2 win over Rices Otmane Bennai-Smires. Rob Warn also beat Bennai-Smires 6-2, 7-5 but lost to Rices Fabien Giraud 6-4, 6-4. Taborga dropped both of his singles matches.

In the Gold singles draw, Smith lost his consolation match 6-4, 6-3 to Rices Ryan Collins. Play concludes on Saturday.