FRESNO, Calif. – Emily Hafner won twice in singles and twice in doubles, while Juho Kantola also picked up two singles victories Thursday to highlight MSU Denver's first day at the ITA West Regionals.
 
"Well, it was a good first day in Fresno," MSU Denver coach Bruno Campos said. "It was a long day, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Lots of tennis. Our student-athletes competed well against some amazing players from the PacWest Conference."
 
Hafner defeated Leonie Muller of Hawaii Pacific 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-3) in the first round, then topped Yume Ueoku of Fresno Pacific (Calif.) 6-1, 6-1 to advance to the round of 16 in the 64-player field. She's set to face fourth-seeded Abigail Wild of Hawaii Pacific on Friday.
 
Meanwhile Kantola, seeded seventh, beat Elias Weeks of Point Loma (Calif.) 6-4, 6-3 and Ben Cronau of Fresno Pacific 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7) to advance to the round of 16, where he'll play Cian McDonnell of Hawaii-Hilo on Friday.
 
Hafner starred in more than singles Thursday, as she teamed with Lilly Stienemeier to reach the quarterfinals in doubles. The Roadrunner duo defeated Viktoria Leth/Maria Vittoria Casucci of the Academy of Art (Calif.) 8-2 in the opening round, then knocked off the top-seeded tandem of Audrey Rafols/Gina Dudley of Dominican (Calif.) 8-4.
 
"We're looking forward to Day Two," Campos said. "Emily, Lilly and Juho are still playing in the main draw and we are ready to compete."
 
MSU Denver also got men's singles wins in the opening round by third-seeded Jeanloup Auzias and Alejandro Jimenez, through both were defeated in the second round.
 
Stienemeier lost her first-round singles match in a super-set, but did pick up a win in the consolation bracket.
 
Thursday's MSU Denver results:

MEN
Singles
Main Draw
(7) Juho Kantola def. Elias Weeks (PLNU), 6-4, 6-3
Alejandro Jimenez def. Sven Bangert (FPU), 6-1, 6-4
(3) Jeanloup Auzias def. Constantin Barth (APU), 4-6, 6-1, 1-0 (11-9)
Patricio Larrea (Bio) def. Maximo Lawlor, 7-6 (7), 6-1
(7) Juho Kantola def. Ben Cronau (FPU), 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7)
Miha Velicki (APU) def. Alejandro Jimenez, 6-2, 6-2
Mattis Le Montagner (CUI) def. (3) Jeanloup Auzias, 6-3, 6-0
 
Doubles
Main Draw
Leo Bormann/Matt Melosch (PLNU) def. Maximo Lawlor/Alejandro Jimenez, 8-2
Lemiel Hoy/Spencer Cinco (CUI) def. Juho Kantola/Jeanloup Auzias, 8-5
 
WOMEN
Singles
Main Draw
Madison Kane (APU) def. Kambra Roles, 6-2, 6-2
Katherina Nguyen (APU) def. Monica Guarin, 6-0, 6-0
Emily Hafner def. Leonie Muller (HPU), 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-3)
Quin Brady (PLNU) def. Lilly Stienemeier, 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-3)
Emily Hafner def. Yume Ueoku (FPU), 6-1, 6-1
Consolation
Devyn Rodriguez (Mesa) def. Kambra Roles, 6-1, 6-2
Gina Dudley (Dom) def. Monica Guarin, 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-6)
Lilly Stienemeier def. Olivia Madarang (West), 6-2, 6-2
 
Doubles
Main Draw
Emily Hafner/Lilly Stienemeier def. Viktoria Leth/Maria Vittoria Casucci (Art), 8-2
Emely Valencia/Anna Pallencaoe (PLNU) def. Kambra Roles/Monica Guarin, 8-5
Emily Hafner/Lilly Stienemeier def. (1) Audrey Rafols/Gina Dudley (Dom), 8-4