LYNCHBURG, Va. – Longwood men's tennis began the day with a strong 9-1 showing on their way to a solid second round of the Liberty Invitational Saturday afternoon against some stiff competition.

In singles and doubles matches against the likes of Big South powers Presbyterian – the league's reigning regular and postseason champion, Campbell and Liberty as well as Commonwealth foe and Atlantic-10 giant Richmond, Longwood showcased that last season was no flash-in-a-pan.

Sophomore ace Amadeo Blasco continued his strong, young career as a Lancer with two singles wins over Big South foes Fernando Clemente of Campbell and Chase Burton from host Liberty to push his way into a finals appearance in Flight A.

Both Big South potential previews came via straight-set decisions in favor of the Valencia, Spain, native who took down Clemente 6-4, 6-1 before knocking Burton from the ranks of the unbeaten 6-4, 6-4.

Blasco also captured a doubles finals appearance as he and new-found partner Raisei Sakai teamed up for a dominant 6-1 victory over Richmond's James Aronson/John Karlawish. The tandem have followed suit from Julian Farthing and Arthur Bardellotto's doubles draw championship two weeks ago in their first fall tournament of the season.

Senior Jorge Godoy and freshman Daniel Hernandez followed suit as the two pushed past Richmond's Joe Nardini//Brice Polander by a 7-6 margin. The doubles final appearance is the second championship match for Godoy this fall after he made a run at the Flight C title match two weeks ago at the UNCW Invitational.

Four other Lancers joined Blasco in the win column in singles play including Sakai, Julian Farthing, Hernandez and Rosen Naydenov.

In a loaded Flight B draw, Sakai battled two Richmond counterparts to go 1-1 on the day with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Brice Polander and gritty full-set defeat to Matthew Fernandez 2-6, 7-6, 6-0.

Joining Sakai in the 1-1 department Saturday were Farthing, Hernandez and Naydenov. Farthing, who took out Richmond's George Lovitt 7-6, 6-4 before falling to Campbell's Lorenz Schwab, picked up his third singles win of the fall. Hernandez also had a strong showing as he handled Campbell's Jon Oneal in a 6-2, 6-2 fashion before falling to Klein Evans of Richmond.

Rounding out the 1-1 category of Lancers in singles play was freshman Rosen Naydenov who also began his day with a win over a Commonwealth counterpart in VCU's Karl Katlaps 7-6, 7-6. Naydenov fell in semifinals action to Charlotte's Collin Thomson but will have a chance to finish strong with a consolation match against teammate Hernandez.

Final round action begins with doubles play from Liberty Sunday morning followed by singles play as Blasco looks to take home his first singles championship this season, while the tandems of Blasco/Sakai and Godoy/Hernandez hope for doubles titles.

Flight A Singles:
Blasco (LWU) def. Clemente (CU) 6-4, 6-1
Blasco (LWU) def. Burton (LIB) 6-4, 6-4

Flight B Singles:
Sakai (LWU) def. Polander (UR) 6-1, 6-4
Fernandez (UR) def. Sakai (LWU) 2-6, 7-6, 6-0
Fernandez (UR) def. Godoy (LWU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
Farthing (LWU) def. Lovitt (UR) 7-6, 6-4
Schwab (CU) def. Farthing (LWU)
Polander (UR) def. Godoy (LWU) 6-1, 6-2
Nardini (UR) def. Popescu (LWU) 6-3, 6-2
Labik (CU) def. Popescu (LWU) 6-1, 6-2

Flight C Singles:
Hernandez (LWU) def. Oneal (CU) 6-2, 6-2
Evans (UR) def. Hernandez (LWU)
Baird (PC) def. Manser (LWU)
Naydenov (LWU) def. Katlaps (VCU) 7-6, 7-6
Thomson (UNCC) def. Naydenov (LWU) 7-5, 6-1

Flight A Doubles:
Blasco/Sakai (LWU) def. Aronson/Karlawish (UR) 6-1

Flight C Doubles:
Clemente/Monterosso (CU) def. Farthing/Popescu (LWU) 6-3
Hernandez/Godoy (LWU) def. Nardini/Polander (UR) 7-6
Manser/Naydenov (LWU) def. Baird/Conde (PC) 6-2

#GoWood