Oct. 25, 2008

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ----- The UAB doubles team of Dan Cornei and Thomas Petrich won another match here Saturday and has advanced to the semifinal round of the Red Division at the Crimson Tide Fall Invitational.

Cornei and Petrich defeated Alabama's team of Creighton Blanchard and Houssam Yassine, 8-6, in Saturday's quarterfinals. The Blazer tandem will now take on Jacksonville's Mathew Rock and Victor Vaz in the semifinals Sunday morning.

Junior Alex Emery and freshman Daniel Moser were UAB's most successful players in singles Saturday as each reached the semifinals of their division. Emery won a pair of matches on Saturday as did Moser.

Emery downed Diego Machuca of Southern Miss, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 in his first round match before defeating Jimmy Esteban of Jacksonville in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. Emery then fell in his semifinal match to Alabama's Ricky Doverspike, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

Moser had similar results Saturday. He beat Gustavo Holz of Jacksonville State, 6-4, 6-3, and then eliminated Charlie Ramsey of Memphis, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-4. Moser lost in his semifinal match, 6-4, 6-4, to Michael Jung of Alabama.

UAB's other players in the tournament all fell in their opening round singles matches.

Brian Ly lost to Mario Silva of Troy, 6-2, 6-3, with Tyrone Ewels falling to Meedo El Tabakh of Illinois, 6-0, 6-4.

Ewels bounced back with a pair of wins in consolation play in his division and now faces Georgia Southern's Alain Garrido in the finals.

Cornei lost his singles first round match, 6-0, 6-3, to Vaz of Jacksonville.