LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Junior Christofer Goncalves continues to have a solid start to his junior season, advancing to the quarterfinals in singles action on Thursday at the ITA Mountain Regional Championships held at the Darling Tennis Center.
 
Two of the three teams for NM State also advanced to the round of 16 in doubles action. Mauri Benitez and Stijn de Haan got a hard-earned victory when they took down New Mexico's pair of Sean Baklini and Jorge Escutia 8-6. Luis Flores and Goncalves also advanced to the next round when they defeated Northern Arizona's duo of Tom Fisher and Tim Handel 8-5 for their 10th-straight victory.
 
Sergi Espias joined Goncalves in the round of 16 of singles play thanks to a 7-5, 6-4 win over Nevada's Jonathan Aremon.
 
In the round of 16, Goncalves played from behind after dropping the first set 7-5. However, the Barquisimeto, Venezuela, product would not be denied and charged back with a 7-0, 7-6 win the next two sets. Espias' run in singles play came to an end in the same round, falling to Utah State's Kai Wehnelt 6-2, 6-4.
 
Goncalves' victory moved his win-streak to 12 in singles action while Espias saw his snapped at 11-straight. In the singles consolation bracket, de Haan advanced to the next round after downing Utah's Parker McGuiness in a back-and-forth match, 7-6, 7-6. Flores also picked up a win with a 4-6, 6-3, 10-4 win over BYU's Sam Tullis.
 
Play resumes Friday at the ITA Mountain Regionals with doubles kicking things off once again and is followed with singles play. For a list of full results from today's action, click here.
 
ITA Mountain Regionals (Day 2)
Doubles (Rd. of 32)
Benitez/de Haan (NMSU) def. Baklini/Escutia (UNM) – 8-6
Flores/Goncalves (NMSU) def. Fisher/Handel (NAU) – 8-5
Butters/Heslin def. Asmar/Espias (NMSU) – 8-1
 
Singles
(Rd. of 32)
JD Malan (BYU) def. Mauri Benitez (NMSU) – 7-6, 7-5
Christofer Goncalves (NMSU) def. Yannik James (DEN) – 6-4, 6-4
Alex Cozbinov (UNLV) def. Enrique Asmar (NMSU) – 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
Sergi Espias (NMSU) def. Jonathan Aremon (NEV) – 7-5, 6-4
 
Rd. of 16
Christofer Goncalves (NMSU) def. Kyle Butters (BSU) – 5-7, 7-0, 7-6
Kai Wehnelt (USU) def. Sergi Espias (NMSU) – 6-2, 6-4
 
Consolation
Stijn de Haan def. Parker McGuiness (UTAH) – 7-6, 7-6
Luis Flores def. Sam Tullis (BYU) - 4-6, 6-3, 10-4