ORLANDO – The Wichita State men's tennis team advanced to the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Men's Tennis Championship Friday, knocking off No. 4 seed Tulsa 4-2 at the USTA National Campus.
 
The Shockers (16-9) used a decisive doubles point and indoor wins on courts one, five and six to clinch a spot in Saturday's semifinal versus No. 1 seed UCF.
 
After clinching the doubles point in high winds, the Shockers dropped the first set in four of the six courts. After a short rain delay, the matches were moved indoors at the USTA National Campus. The Shockers gained early momentum inside, on their way to the 4-2 victory over the Golden Hurricane.
 
DOUBLES
The dynamic duo of Marius Frosa and Murkel Dellien jumped out to a 4-1 lead over No. 78 Jarod Hing and Boriss Kamden on court one as the No. 25-ranked duo rolled to a 6-3 win to get the Shockers on the board early. Courts two and three came down to the wire. Andrea Caligiana and Orel Ovil fell behind early but rallied to tie the match at five against Majed Kilani and Kody Pearson. The Shocker duo couldn't close out the set, falling 7-5. Haru Inoue and Stefan Latinovic jumped out to a commanding 4-1 lead before Stefan Hampe and Tom Thelwall-Jones battled back to tie it at four. Inoue and Latinovic took three of the final four games to give WSU the doubles point.
 

The Shockers are in the semifinals!! 🌾

WSU rallied through weather delays and moving from outdoors to indoors to knock off Tulsa Friday at the @American_Tenn Championship.#goshocks #watchus pic.twitter.com/Syq0OSsIpo

— Wichita State Men's Tennis (@GoShockersMTEN) April 19, 2019

SINGLES
The Shockers started slow in outdoor play against Tulsa. Tulsa took sets on courts two, three, four and five right out of the gates to put pressure on the Shockers. Early in the second sets, the match was put in a short rain delay. Due to a heavy downpour, the match was moved indoors. Tulsa carried its momentum from outside with two straight set wins on courts three and four. Hampe rolled in the fourth flight over Stoica , 6-0, 6-1, while Hing dropped Frosa on court three (6-3, 6-1) for a 2-1 Tulsa advantage.
 
WSU answered right back in the sixth flight, when Latinovic grabbed a 6-4, 6-1 win over Thelwall-Jones to tie the match at two. Court one was filled with ups and downs for Inoue and Kilani, as the two went the distance in the first set. Inoue rode away with a 7-6 (6) win in the first set and rolled to a 6-2 finish in the second to knock off No. 63 Kilani and give the Shockers a 3-2.

The match was decided on court five between Ovil and Tulsa's Daniel Siddall. Siddall rolled to a 6-0 finish in set one before Ovil battled back to take the second (6-2). In the third, Ovil went up a break early and Siddall answered to tie the match at three. After getting tied at five apiece, the freshman from Israel collected the final two games to give WSU the 4-2 win over the Golden Hurricane.
 
WSU's Dellien and Tulsa's Pearson were in a back and forth match in the second slot before play was suspended. Trailing 6-1, 2-0, Dellien rallied to win a 7-5 come from behind second set to force a third. The junior from Trinidad, Bolivia, led 3-2 in the third before going unfinished.
 
The Shockers advance to tomorrow's semifinal where they will take on No. 1 UCF at 12 p.m. CT.

The Shockers are in the semifinals!! 🌾

WSU rallied through weather delays and moving from outdoors to indoors to knock off Tulsa Friday at the @American_Tenn Championship.#goshocks #watchus pic.twitter.com/Syq0OSsIpo

— Wichita State Men's Tennis (@GoShockersMTEN) April 19, 2019

Notables
-Murkel and Marius improve to 9-0 in the top flight with the win
-Haru's win over No. 63 Kilani was his third win over a ranked opponent this season
- The Shockers reach the semifinal of the American Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time
- Stefan improved to 10-2 in flights five and six with the win
- Orel and Haru improve to 12-5 on the year in dual play
 

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Wichita State 4, Tulsa 2
 
Singles Results
1. Haru Inoue (WSU) def. #63 Majed Kilani (TLS) 7-6 (8-6), 6-2
2. Murkel Dellien (WSU) vs. Kody Pearson (TLS), 1-6, 7-5, 2-1
3. Jarod Hing (TLS) def. Marius Frosa (WSU) 6-3, 6-1
4. Stefan Hampe (TLS) def. Eddie Stoica (WSU) 6-0, 6-1
5. Orel Ovil (WSU) def. Daniel Siddall (TLS) 0-6, 6-2, 7-5
6. Stefan Latinovic (WSU) def. Tom Thelwall-Jones (TLS) 6-4, 6-1
 
Doubles Results
1. #25 Murkel Dellien/Marius Frosa (WSU) def. #78 Jarod Hing/Boriss Kamdem (TLS) 6-3
2. Majed Kilani/Kody Pearson (TLS) def. Orel Ovil/Andrea Caligiana (WSU) 7-5
3. Stefan Latinovic/Haru Inoue (WSU) def. Stefan Hampe/Tom Thelwall-Jones (TLS) 7-5
 
Match Notes:
Wichita State 16-9
Tulsa 14-12
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,3,6,1,5)