HAMDEN, CT — The Iona University men's tennis team opened competition at the Metro Conference Masters on Friday at the Quinnipiac Athletic & Recreation Center. Sophomore Brandon Ramos highlighted the opening day for the Maroon & Gold, earning a pair of straight-set victories to advance to the singles quarterfinals.

DAY ONE SUMMARY

Ramos opened the day with a round of 32 matchup against Merrimack's Bjorn Hedegaard-Friis. The sophomore cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 victory to advance to the round of 16 later Friday afternoon. Junior Roko Kacer matched up against No. 4 seed Stefanos Pournaropoulos of Marist in the round of 16. Pournaropoulos earned a 6-3, 6-2 victory to end Kacer's run in the singles draw.

In the opening round of doubles competition, junior Yusen Sato and freshman Mark Taviloglu fell to Sacred Heart's Connor Liona and Brennen Hart-Nova, 6-0.

Ramos returned to the court later in the afternoon to face No. 2 seed Diego Alcala of Fairfield in the round of 16. With the opening set even at 2-2, Ramos rattled off four straight games to take the frame, 6-2. The sophomore carried momentum into set to with a decisive 6-0 win to complete the straight-set victory to punch his ticket to Saturday's quarterfinals.

The freshman doubles pairing of Leo Hsu and Taylor Yarnell closed out Iona's opening day with a 6-4 setback to Siena's Mars Argun and Mateja Stefanovic.

UP NEXT

Ramos will be the lone Gael remaining in the draw on day two of the Metro Masters. His quarterfinal match is scheduled for approximately noon Saturday, with match times dependent on the completion of preceding contests.