Led by Jason Bediones (Kent, Wash.), the Seattle University men's tennis team started the 2011-12 competitive season on solid footing at the EWU Fall Classic, hosted by Eastern Washington at the EWU Tennis Courts.
In the B-flight main draw, Bediones defeated Jack Schoebel of Gonzaga in straight sets (7-6 (7-5), 6-2) to advance to the quarterfinals. Zachary Williams (Spokane, Wash.) lost to Gonzaga's Jake Davis in a super-tiebreaker in the main draw (6-3, 3-6, 10-5), but defeated Peter Jones of Portland in the consolation bracket, also in a super-tiebreaker (6-1, 4-6, 10-9), and will face Schoebel in the second round of the B-flight consolation Saturday.
The Redhawks were successful in the doubles bracket, with Bediones and Andrew Anderson (Tacoma, Wash.) defeating Clint Vidano and Filip Fichtel of Idaho, 8-4. Simon Meske (Tacoma, Wash.) and Mark Shkrebtan (Redmond, Wash.) were victorious over Jake Knox and Taylor Bieberle of Idaho, 8-5, giving Seattle U two duos in the round of 16 Saturday morning.
In the A-flight main draw, Anderson lost to Scott Sullivan of Gonzaga in straight sets (7-5, 6-2), Shkrebtan won the first set but could not close out Montana's Andrew Warren, eventually losing in a super-tiebreaker (0-6, 6-1, 10-8), and Meske lost to Idaho's Abid Akbar in straight sets (6-4, 6-1). Yusuke Kanehira (Tokyo, Japan) fell to Oregon's Sam Bush in the B-flight main draw (6-3, 6-1).
The EWU Fall Classic will continue Saturday with doubles starting at 9 a.m., followed by singles action.