WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- The Ave Maria University tennis teams played the premiere event of the fall season this past week, joining most of the best players in The Sun Conference at the ITA Florida Regionals in Boca Raton. Numerous Gyrenes had success in the tournament, with several Ave Maria players advancing to the quarterfinals in the hyper competitive tournament. 

Ave Maria's top player regardless of gender was returning All-Conference standout Vitoria Barandas, who advanced to the quarterfinals in the women's singles draw. Barandas earned a straight set victory over Victoria Belisario from Warner to get to the round of 16, then rallied to beat Southeastern's Flaminia Guidantoni 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 in the round of 16.

Barandas also played well in doubles, teaming with new partner Lauren Berns. The duo picked up a win over a duo from Warner in the round of 16, becoming the lone Gyrene pair to get to the doubles quarterfinals. Nicolle Koop and Regina Ruiz were responsible for Ave Maria's other doubles win, punching their ticket to the round of 16 with a 8-2 win over Chloe Cobianchi and Lauren Ulrich from SCAD.

On the men's side, a pair of Gyrenes earned their way into the final 16. After byes in the opening round, Tom Alias and Gaston Erhardt both won their first matches to advance. Alias defeated Patricio Medrano from SCAD in straight sets, while Erhardt battled for a three-set victory over Coastal Georgia's Lucas Landaluce, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5. Pedro Garcia also earned a singles win for the Gyrenes, beating his first round opponent from SCAD in straight sets.

AMU's winningest doubles team was Luca Mariot and Julien Mourad, who won two matches to advance to the quarterfinals. The duo beat a duo from SCAD, 8-3 in the first round, then moved on to the quarters via retirement. Erhardt and Alias were also in the quarterfinals thanks to a 8-6 win over a SCAD duo in the round of 16, while Pedro Garcia and Juan Ignacio Garcia picked up their own victory in the first round.

The ITA Florida Regionals marks a preview of the season to come, although the Gyrenes will compete several more times throughout the Fall. Both teams will battle Florida National University in exhibition competition in late October, while the women will have their annual exhibition against Florida Gulf Coast University earlier in the month.