McDonald, Tahirovic One Win Away from NCAA Doubles Bid after Two More Impressive Victories at ITA Conference Masters

ITA Conference Masters Draws
Navy Invitational Draws

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Bucknell seniors Brendan McDonald and Amar Tahirovic won twice on Friday to reach the doubles semifinals at the ITA Conference Masters Championships, and now the Bison duo needs just one more victory to earn a trip to the NCAA Championships.

After posting a straight-set win over Boise State's Avery Tallakson and Carson Baker on Thursday, McDonald and Tahirovic came from behind on Friday afternoon to beat sixth-seeded Conrad Brown and Miguel Avendano Cadena of UC Santa Barbara 3-6, 6-4, 11-9. A few hours later, the Bison duo knocked out Presbyterian's David Mamalat and Matija Samardzic, 6-1, 7-5.

Next up is the No. 2 seed, Karim Al-Amin and Ondrej Horak of Middle Tennessee State, in the semifinals on Saturday. The top three doubles finishers earn NCAA bids, so McDonald and Tahirovic can do so with a win in the semifinals, or a loss and then a win in the third-place match.

Bucknell also had a contingent at the Navy Invitational in Annapolis on Friday. The Bison were matched up with host Navy on day one of the three-day event and went 2-0 in doubles and 3-2 in singles.

Adam Stavrakas, Liam Kilmer, and Nelson Alapi all won their singles matches against the Midshipmen, while Will Robinson and Tyler Bush fell in three-setters.

Stavrakas outlasted Charlie Spencer 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5); Kilmer raced past George Cutone 6-3, 6-0; and Alapi defeated Jason Kim, 6-3, 6-4.

McDonald, Tahirovic One Win Away from NCAA Doubles Bid after Two More Impressive Victories at ITA Conference Masters

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Players Mentioned

Nelson Alapi

Tyler Bush

Liam Kilmer

Brendan McDonald

Will Robinson

Adam Stavrakas

Amar Tahirovic