Huskers Gather Five Wins at ITA All-American Tournament

Tulsa, Okla. – Shunya Maruyama advanced to the Round of 64 as the Nebraska men’s tennis team captured five wins at the ITA All-American Tournament in Tulsa, Okla. After losing his first match, Calvin Mueller was victorious in consolation play before the Huskers headed home for Lincoln on Sunday afternoon.

Maruyama won both of his matches on Saturday, first besting LSU’s Welsh Hotard in a three-set battle, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. The Nagano, Japan native then kept the momentum going against Florida State’s John Bernard with a victory in consecutive sets, 6-3, 6-3. Maruyama fell in a three-set thriller to Auburn’s Will Nolan, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, to end his tournament run after a pair of victories. Dating back to last season, he has now won four of his last six singles matches.

Roni Hietaranta prevailed in the first round over Tennessee-Chattanooga’s Gabriel Castillo-Sanchez, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5. The Lappeenranta, Finland native fell in the second round against Florida State’s Maxwell Benson, 7-5, 6-1. Hietaranta has been victorious in five of his last six singles matches after ending last season on a four-match winning streak.

Nic Wiedenhorn started off the tournament strong with a win against Robbie Young of Wofford, 6-2, 6-2. In the second round, Wiedenhorn was outmatched by Rice’s Yasha Zemel in consecutive sets, 6-1, 6-4.

Mueller lost his lone match of the day on Saturday, falling to Pepperdine’s Eric Hadigian, 7-6 (3), 6-1. He fought in the tie-breaker, but ultimately fell just short and was eliminated from the main singles draw. In consolation play on Sunday, Mueller rolled to a victory in the first round over Penn State’s Malik Bhatnagar in consecutive sets, 6-4, 6-1.

Stay up to date with the action by following the Nebraska men’s tennis Twitter and Instagram accounts, @huskermtennis.

Roni Hietaranta

R256: Roni Hietaranta (NEB) def. Gabriel Castillo-Sanchez (UT-Chattanooga) 1-6, 6-4, 7-5

R128: Maxwell Benson (Presbyterian) def. Roni Hietaranta (NEB) 7-5, 6-1

Shunya Maruyama

R256: Shunya Maruyama (NEB) def. Welsh Hotard (LSU) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3

R128: Shunya Maruyama (NEB) def. John Bernard (FSU) 6-3, 6-3

R64: Will Nolan (Auburn) def. Shunya Maruyama (NEB) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2

Calvin Mueller

R256: Eric Hadigian (Pepperdine) def. Calvin Mueller (NEB) 7-6(3), 6-1

Consolation: Calvin Mueller (NEB) def. Malik Bhatnagar (Penn State) 6-4, 6-1

Nic Wiedenhorn

R256: Nic Wiedenhorn (NEB) def. Robbie Young (Wofford) 6-2, 6-2

R128: Yasha Zemel (Rice) def. Nic Wiedenhorn (NEB) 6-1, 6-4