Sept. 29, 2007
TULSA, Okla. - San Diego State sophomore Achim Ceban won his first match of the season to advance in the prequalifying portion of the Polo Ralph Lauren All-American Tennis Championships on Saturday in Tulsa, Okla.
In the first competition of the fall season for the San Diego State men's tennis team, Ceban captured the Aztecs' lone win by sweeping Tennessee's Jeremy Tweedt, 6-4, 6-4, in the first round.
Ceban, who won 21 matches a year ago, fell in the second round to Iowa's Christian Bierich in a three-set nail biter. The native of Moscow, Russia, won the first set, 6-1, before losing by the identical 6-1 score in the second.
In the final set, Ceban forced the tiebreaker point with the match tied at 6-6. Bierich was able to outlast Ceban and advance by claiming the tiebreaker, 11-9.
In other first round action, sophomore Matan Shitrit fell in his first career match as an Aztec, 6-3, 6-0, to Indiana's Phillip Eilers.
Saturday's play concludes SDSU's run at the All-American Championships. The Aztecs will return to action on Oct. 17, when they compete in the ITA Regional Championships.
All-American Championships - Tulsa, Okla.
Achim Ceban (SDSU) def. Jeremy Tweedt (UT) - 6-4. 6-4
Christian Bierich (Iowa) def. Ceban (SDSU) - 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (9)
Phillip Eilers (IU) def. Matan Shitrit (SDSU) - 6-3, 6-0