MOBILE, Ala. --- The Mississippi College men's tennis team got off to a fast start at the NCCAA Championships with two victories on Tuesday at the Mobile Tennis Center.

The Choctaws (16-9) have already clinched a spot in the semi-final round set to take place on Thursday (9:00 am) after wins over Cedarville (5-1) and Point (5-2).

MC has one more round-robin match to play that will finalize seeding for the semi-finals as they face Oklahoma Baptist to see who wins "Pool B." That match is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

MC 5, Cedarville 1

The Choctaws got things going with a couple of doubles wins, led by the #3 team of senior Phillip Qu and sophomore Sanders Barrick, who won 8-1.

Sophomore Lucio Menezes and freshman Maximilian Nilges clinched the 2-1 lead after doubles action with an 8-4 victory at #2. The Yellow Jackets won the #1 point by a score of 8-5.

Needing three singles wins to clinch the win, Qu got things started with a straight-set victory at #6, dropping just two games.

Nilges (#3) won his match by a score of 6-2, 6-1, while Jose Rodrigo Gonzalez (#5) finished off the match with a 6-3, 6-2 win. The other three matches went unfinished, but MC held a lead in each.

MC 5, Point 2

In the second match of the day, the Choctaws were without their #1 player in Marcos Rocca due to fatigue.

The Choctaws were still able to grab a 2-1 lead after doubles play as Barrick and Qu slid up to #2 and pulled out an 8-1 victory. Menezes and Nilges moved up the #1 and picked up an 8-5 victory.

In singles play, Qu (#5) and Barrick (#6) each cruised to straight-set victories, setting up just one more needed win to clinch a spot in the semi-finals.

The Skyhawks on the #2 point iin straight sets, but sophomore Petar Damjanovic (#3) clinched the victory with a three-set win, bouncing back from an opening-set loss.

The Choctaws will play at 8:30 a.m. on Wendesday against Oklahoma Baptist and find out who they play in the semi-finals following the match.