INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – On Thursday the men's tennis team was dialed in from the start as the six Gators competing at the 2017 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Fall National Championships completed a perfect day going 2-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles.
 
With just 32 players remaining at the start of the second round, the competition was sure to get tougher for the ninth-seeded Alfredo Perez on Thursday. Perez was matched against Victor Pham of Virginia Tech and just like Monday, Perez was in for a fight. The two battled back and forth early but it was Perez that was able to get come away with the set one victory in the tiebreak 7-6. In the second set, Perez was again tested but was able to pull away late for a 6-4 win, and advancing to the Round of 16.
 
Johannes Ingildsen was looking to right the ship in the consolation bracket after falling in the first round of the Main Draw on Wednesday. In the first round of consolation matches, Ingildsen was matched up against Alex Ribiero of Virginia Tech. Ingildsen took an early lead but Ribiero came back before Ingildsen was able to do just enough in the tiebreak to take the set 7-6. After dropping the second set 6-2, Ingildsen regained his form to win the final set 6-1 and take the match.
 
Once again McClain Kessler and Duarte Vale got the doubles action going for the Gators. The pair found success in the first set with a 6-4 win against Zvonimir Babic and Filip Kraljevic of Ole Miss. But after dropping the second set by a score of 3-6 the group bounced back to win a closely contest tiebreak 13-11.
 
Following a little break after the conclusion of their singles wins, No. 1 Perez and Ingildsen were back it for the second round of doubles. The duo was paired against David Felix and Peter Thrac of Idaho State. Perez and Ingildsen cruised to an easy 6-1 first set victory but stumbled in the second set, falling 4-6. After the two teams played to an early 2-2 tie in the tiebreak, Perez and Ingildsen found some of the magic they played with in the first set and flexed their muscles to a 10-5 tiebreak victory to advance to the round of 16 on Friday.
 
Chase Perez-Blanco and Oliver Crawford were in the consolation bracket after falling in their opening round match on Wednesday. In the consolation bracket, the duo faced off with Benjamin Hannestad and Tim Ruehl of Arizona State. Perez-Blanco and Crawford struggled in the first set falling 6-1, but in a crucial win or go home second set the pair turned it on. They took the second set 6-3 and after the two duos fought closely in the tiebreak early, it was Perez-Blanco and Kessler who came out on top with a 10-7 win to take the match.
 
Coach Shelton on the ITA Fall National Championships second day
"Nothing came easily for us today, but we battled hard and found the winners circle. We have to continue to approach every single day the same way as if there is no tomorrow. We will be tested again and again and I'm looking forward to it."
 
Day Two Results
Singles Main Draw
Round of 32
(9) Perez def. Pham (Columbia) – 7-6 (3), 6-4
Consolation First Round
(12) Ingildsen def. Ribiero (Virginia Tech) – 7-6 (0), 2-6, 6-1
Doubles
Round of 16
(1) Perez/Ingildsen def. Felix/Thrac (Idaho State) – 6-1, 4-6, 10-5
(7) Kessler/Vale def. Babic/Kraljevic (Ole Miss) – 6-4, 3-6, 13-11
Consolation First Round
Perez-Blanco/Crawford def. Hannestad/Ruehl (Arizona State) – 6-7 (1), 6-3, 10-7
 
Schedule of Events for Friday, Nov. 3
Singles Round of 16
Consolation Singles Round of 16
Singles Quarterfinals
Consolation Singles Quarterfinals
Doubles Quarterfinals
Consolation Doubles Quarterfinals

*Singles and Doubles Draws will be added to the story and Schedule when they are made available 
 
Follow the Gator
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators