Mobile, AL - Boldarev, Grubin, Roberts and Oliveira represent at ITA Nationals

Four members of the Clippers tennis teams traveled down to Mobile, Alabama for the weekend to compete in the ITA National Tournament.  Ola Roberts and Cristina Oliveira are representing the Clippers Women's Tennis team as they compete in the doubles tournament.  Roberts and Oliveira won the ITA Regional Bracket ‘A' back in September.  Andrey Boldarev and Alex Grubin are representing the Clippers Men's Tennis team as they compete in the doubles tournament and Boldarev in the singles.  Grubin and Boldarev took the ITA Regional Bracket ‘A' Doubles competition while Boldarev won the ITA Regional Bracket ‘A' Singles tournament.

With competition of day one complete each member played well.  On the women's side Roberts and Oliveira were seeded eighth in the tournament.  Facing off against the #1 seeded BYU Hawaii team was there first challenge.  Roberts and Oliveira worked hard but were broken early in the first set and unfortunately dropped the set 6-2.  They stayed with the BYU Hawaii doubles team but were broken again and fell 6-4.  Roberts and Oliveira were then pitted against the doubles team from Wayne State.  Breaking early the Clippers pair took the first set 6-2.  Continuing to work together Roberts and Oliveira defeated the Wayne State doubles in the second set 6-3.  The Clipper pair will compete for 5^th place on Friday. 

On the men's side Andrey Boldarev and Alex Grubin were seeded #1 in the doubles tournament.  Their first opponents will be #8 seeded West Florida.  Each pair worked hard but with a late set break Boldarev and Grubin nabbed the first set 7-5.  Continuing their good play Boldarev and Grubin were able to break the West Florida doubles team and take the set along with the win 6-4.  The Clipper pair will face off against the Bloomsburg University doubles pair on Friday. 

Andrey Boldarev, also playing in the singles tournament, was seeded #2 for the tournament.  Boldarev faced off against the opponent from Washburn.  Boldarev sailed his way through to the semifinals with a 6-1; 6-2 win.  Boldarev will next face off on Friday against the opponent from Western New Mexico. 

For more information on the ITA National Tournament stay tuned to http://www.concordiaclippers.com or head to the ITA website, http://www.itatennis.com/.