TULSA, Okla. - Oral Roberts University opened their 2012-13 season over the weekend at the ITA Men’s All-American Championships at the Case Tennis Center in Tulsa. Five Golden Eagles gained valuable experience at the event.

Each of the five players the Golden Eagles sent to the event fell in their opening match of Pre-Qualifying Singles. Newcomer Braxton Bates was the most competitive member of Mark Milner’s squad, falling to Joseph Cohen of Eastern Washington by a 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 score.

One other newcomer, Gabriel Kanelopoulos, participated in the tournament. He fell by a count of 6-1, 6-0, to Kevin Metka of Ohio State.

Three returning veterans saw their first action of the season at the event. Nathaniel Avery fell to Willie Sublette of UNLV, 6-0, 6-3, while Parker Allen was topped by Old Dominion’s Carlos Lopez-Villa, 6-1, 6-1. David Haldimann, who redshirted last season, lost his match of Penn State’s Roman Trkulja, 6-0, 6-0.

ORU opens their first spring season as members of the Southland Conference in February of 2013.