Los Angeles – The Loyola Marymount men's tennis team concluded day two at the LMU Invitational, held at LMU Tennis Center, where the Lions put up a strong showing in both singles and doubles play. 
 
"We continue to improve and make strides," said head coach Tom Lloyd. " We still need to trust ourselves and believe in our abilities. Another opportunity tomorrow to get after it and we need to bring the juice"
 
The Lions started the Invitational off on Friday with doubles play against Utah, where Diego Nava and Thien Nguyen beat Azat Hankuliyev and Slava Shainyan 8-5. Max Kaiser and Ryan Brown were defeated by Mathias Gavelin and Paul McCallie 8-4. 
 
After dropping the doubles point, the Lions dominated in singles play, sweeping Utah State. Austin Di Giulio picked up the first win, as he beat Arvid Hjalte 6-3, 6-2 on court four, while Lucas Moreno beat Felipe Acostas 6-04, 6-2 on court two. 
 
Nguyen beat Daniel Bushamuka on court six, 7-6, 6-1, and Ethan Prost beat Christian Holmes on court five 7-6(10)6-3. Kaiser pushed Javier Ruiz to three sets on court three and came out with the win 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 and Nava beat Sergiu Bucur after three sets 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2. 
 
LMU opened up day two of the Invitational against UC Irvine, where the Lions started off the day on a strong note, taking the doubles point.
 
Nava paired up with Nguyen on court one to take on Bruce Man-Son-Hing and Daniel Gealer, the doubles tandem came out with the win 8-2
 
Di Giulio and Moreno took on Ali Amir and Aaron Bailey on court three, and came out with the win, 8-5, clinching the doubles point. Brown and Kaiser fell on court two. 
 
After taking the doubles win, the Lions took on Utah in doubles play, where Kaiser and Brown fell on court two, and Prost and Di Giulio fell on court three. Nava and Thien picked up the only doubles win, as they beat Hankuliyev and Shainyan on court one 8-5. 
 
LMU turned things around in singles play, as Nguyen beat Grovas on court six 6-4, 6-2, while Moreno beat Gavelin on court three 6-2, 6-1. 
 
Up 2-0 Kaiser defeated Cory 7-5, 7-6 on court three. Di Giulio pushed McCallie to three sets, but fell 6-1, 1-6, 7-5, while Prost fell to Hankuliyev 4-6, 6-3, 3-6. Nava beat Shainyan 6-1, 6-7, 6-4 to give the Lions the singles win. 
 
The Lions will continue the last day of the LMU Invitational on Sunday at LMU Tennis Center. 
 
 
Day One Doubles LMU vs Utah 
Order of Finish: 2,3,1
Nava/Thien def. Hankuliyen/ Shainyan 8-5
Gavelin/McCallie def. Kaiser/Brown 8-4
Grovas/Cory def. Prost/Di Giulio 8-5
 
Day One Singles LMU vs Utah State 
Order of Finish: 4,2,6,5,3,1
Nava def. Bucur 4-6, 7-6, 6-2
Moreno def. Acosta 6-4, 6-2 
Kaiser def. Ruiz 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
Di Giulio def Hjalte 6-3, 6-2 
Prost def. Holmes 7-6, 6-3 
Nguyen def. Bushamuka 7-6, 6-1 Shainyan
 
Day Two Doubles LMU vs UCI
Order of Finish: 1,3,2
Nava/Nguyen def Man-son-hing/Gealer 8-2
Meriviles/Sah def. Brown/Kaiser 8-7
Di Giulio/Moreno def Amiri/Bailey 8-5
 
Doubles LMU vs Utah 
Order of Finish: 2,3,1
Nava/Thien def. Hankuliyen/Shainyan 8-5
Gavelin/McCalliie def. Kaiser/Brown 8-4 
Grovas/Cory def. Prost/Di Giulio 8-5 
 
Singles LMU vs Utah 
Order of Finish: 6,2,3,4,5,1
Nava def. Shainyan 6-1, 6-7, 6-4
Moreno def. Gavelin 6-2, 6-1
Kaiser def Cory 7-5, 7-6
McCallie def. Di Giulio 6-1, 1-6, 5-7 
Hankuliyen def. Prost 4-6, 6-3, 3-6
Nguyen def. Grovas  6-4, 6-2