ATHENS, Ga. – Three Commodore men’s tennis players advanced to the second round of the Southern Collegiates on Friday at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
In Division I singles, three of the six Commodores won their opening round matches. 
Redshirt junior Ryan Lipman advanced to the second round after defeating Presbyterian’s Grayson Mills 6-4, 6-2. Lipman, who is one of the top players in the SEC, won his first match since his sophomore campaign, as he missed all of last season with an injury. Lipman will play Ole Miss’ William Kallberg in the second round on Saturday morning.
Freshman Kris Yee registered his first collegiate win as he defeated Kentucky’s Michael Binder 6-4, 6-3. Yee will meet up with North Florida’s Moritz Buerchner on Saturday morning with a chance to go to the round of 16.
Sophomore Gonzales Austin needed three sets to advance to the second round as he beat Mississippi State’s Romain Bogaert 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. Austin will play Virginia Tech’s Amerigo Contini on Saturday.
Freshman Rhys Johnson fell in three sets to one of the top seeds in the tournament, Michael Alford from Florida, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Johnson took the opening set before dropping the final two.
Sophomores Michael Retta and Jeff Offerdahl wrapped up singles play on Friday afternoon. Retta fell to Georgia’s Ben Wagland 7-5, 6-2 and Offerdahl dropped his match to Florida Gulf Coast’s Jordi Vives 6-4, 6-2. Retta and Offerdahl will now compete in the consolation bracket.
In Division I doubles, Lipman and Austin were the No. 3 seed and they defeated East Tennessee State’s pair of Jesus Bandres and Rogerio Ribeiro 8-5. The Vandy dual will now take on Mercer.
Johnson and Offerdahl teamed up to take down Kentucky’s duo of Beck Pennington and Grant Roberts 8-3, which advances them to the second round where they will face Georgia.
In Division II doubles, Retta and Yee defeated Liberty’s Guillem Secanell and Dillon Segur 8-6. Retta and Lee will face Presbyterian on Saturday for a chance to advance to the quarterfinals.
Play resumes on day two of the Southern Collegiates at approximately 8 a.m. on Saturday.
Friday’s Results
Division I Singles Round of 64
Ryan Lipman (Vanderbilt) def. Grayson Mills (Presbyterian) 6-4, 6-2
Kris Yee (Vanderbilt) def. Michael Binder (Kentucky) 6-4, 6-3
Michael Alford (Florida) def. Rhys Johnson (Vanderbilt) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Gonzales Austin (Vanderbilt) def. Romain Bogaert (Mississippi St.) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
Jordi Vives (Florida Gulf Coast) def. Jeff Offerdahl (Vanderbilt) 6-4, 6-2
Ben Wagland (Georgia) def. Michael Retta (Vanderbilt) 7-5, 6-2
Division I Doubles Round of 32
Gonzales Austin/Ryan Lipman (3) (Vanderbilt) def. Jesus Bandres/Rogerio Ribeiro, (ETSU) 8-5
Rhys Johnson/Jeff Offerdahl (Vanderbilt) def. Beck Pennington/Grant Roberts, (Kentucky) 8-3
Division II Doubles Round of 32
Michael Retta/Kris Yee (Vanderbilt) def. Guillem Secanell/Dillon Segur (Liberty) 8-6
