BOISE, Idaho. – The George Fox men's tennis team kicked off its fall season at the Dars Walters Invite hosted by Boise State. This tournament is a Davis Cup-style format, where two players will compete as a team throughout the tournament in one doubles and two singles matches against another team. The winner of two out of the three matches will move on to the main draw, and the loser will move to the consolation draw. 

How it Happened
The Bruins entered four teams into the tournament to play against D-I teams in Boise State, Utah State, Weber State, Idaho, and Idaho State. The duo of Vahag Pashayan and Lars Schmassmann played against Weber State and kicked off the tournament for the Bruins. Fox dropped the doubles match, 6-3. Weber State won against Pashyan, 6-2, 6-0, and Weber State's Coutinho narrowly beat out Schmassmann, 7-5, 7-5.

Fox's Hunter Fujimori paired up with freshman Zach Moore, facing off against the team from the University of Idaho. The team kept it close before losing the doubles match, 6-4. In singles, Fujimori lost, 6-1, 6-2, and Moore fought hard before losing 7-6 (3), 6-0. 

The third duo playing was the team of River Apatu and Alle Banna, playing against Teague Burger and Liam Toroman from Boise State. The host team of Burger and Toroman would pick up the doubles win, 6-2. Newcomer Apatu lost his matchup 6-2, 6-0, and Branco's Toroman beat Banna, 6-0, 6-1. 

In the Bruins final match of the round of 16, the pair of Eli Mizerski and transfer Nanase Ebisu faced off against Idaho's Yu-Shun Lai and Alex Asenov. Fox would come out ahead heading into singles after a 6-3 win in the doubles match. Mizerski dropped a closely contested match with a final score of 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (10-6). The second singles match would see the Bruins sending a team into the main draw quarterfinals after Ebisu won his matchup 6-3, 6-4. 

In the consolation draw, Pashayan and Schmassmann drew Idaho State for their afternoon match. The pair forced a tiebreaker in doubles before narrowly missing out on a doubles victory with a final score of 7-6 (4). Pashyayan forced a three-set match, just missing the win, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. Schamassmann easily defeated his opponent, 6-2, 6-1. 

Fujimori and Moore would move on after getting the bye match. Apatu and Banna finished the Bruins, showing in the consolation draw against Idaho State. Apatu and Banna were deafted for their doubles match, 6-4. Apatu took on the number one singles match, losing his match, 6-1, 6-1. Banna was edged out by a score of 7-5, 6-4. 

In the night's final match, the Bruins duo of Mizerski and Ebisu faced off against Idaho State. In a challenging doubles matchup, Fox fell to De Pellegrin and Sklenka with a final score of, 6-2. Ebisu lost his singles match, 6-3, 6-3. Mizerski fought tightly against De Pellegrin, winning his match in the third set, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. 

Coach's Thoughts
"I thought we played fairly well today in singles. It was challenging, but a lot of good takeaways for guys, and good matches against quality matches," said Bruin head coach Jeff Cero, "Eli and Nanase played very well, getting a win against a University of Idaho team, then Eli taking a match against Pellegrin, who is a very tough player. We're looking forward to getting out there tomorrow and building on it."

What It Means
The Bruins will head into day two of the Dars Walters Invite Saturday. Match times are to be determined.