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SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Five members of the Northwestern men's tennis team advanced to the Round of 32 at the ITA Regional Championships with wins on Friday.
 
Fedor Baev, Sam Shropshire, Ben Vandixhorn, Strong Kirchheimer and Alp Horoz won their first round matches playing at the Eck Tennis Pavilion on the campus of Notre Dame.
 
Shropshire is the highest seeded Wildcat in the event. The Midwest Region's third seed, Shropshire took care of Michigan's Myles Schalet, 6-3, 7-6 (6). The other seeded Northwestern player is Strong Kirchheimer. At No. 8, Kirchheimer battled to a 6-4, 7-5 win over Michael Dube of Michigan State.
 
Baev also won in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0, over Christoffer Greve from Illinois State. Horoz knocked off Kyle Dunn, who advanced from the qualifying draw, by a 6-3, 6-4 score, and Ben Vandixhorn won his first match as a Northwestern Wildcat with a three-setter over 19th-seeded Simon Formont, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3.
 
Northwestern also won two doubles matches on Friday. Vandixhorn and Mihir Kumar won 8-3 over Jasper Koenen and Billy Shisler from Michigan State, while Baev and Kirchheimer took an 8-1 decision over Yossi Dahan and Bassem Mekawi of Youngstown State. Baev and Kirchheimer are the tournament's fifth seed and are ranked 56th nationally.
 
The Wildcats' five singles players and two doubles teams will play tomorrow in second round action with trips to the Round of 16 on the line.
 

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