PRINCETON, N.J. – Othman Bezzaz and Ernesto Ruy were in action for the Saint Joseph's men's tennis team as the pair earned an opening-round win at the ITA Northeast Regional Championships on Friday.
 
The day began with doubles play, where Bezzaz and Ruy knocked off the 16th-seeded pairing from Monmouth in a tiebreaker.  They will meet a duo from Columbia in the second round on Saturday.
 
In the opening round of the main singles draw, Ruy topped Lukas Escher of Wagner in straight sets to advance to a Round of 32 matchup against 16th-seeded Aleksandar Mitric of Princeton on Saturday.
 
Bezzaz dropped the first set of his singles match before rallying to draw level; he ultimately fell to third-seeded Top Nidunjianzan of Princeton in three sets to move into the consolation draw.
 
Play continues on Saturday.
 
SAINT JOSEPH'S RESULTS
 
Doubles Main Draw Round of 64
Othman Bezzaz / Ernesto Ruy (SJU) def. [16] Louis Keller / Alex Martinez Sanz (Monmouth), 8-7 (5)
 
Singles Main Draw Round of 64
Ruy (SJU) def. Lukas Escher (Wagner), 7-6, (3), 6-3
[3] Top Nidunjianzan (Princeton) def. Bezzaz (SJU), 7-5, 2-6, 6-0