ROCKFORD, IL:  The Texas Wesleyan University table tennis team added another national championship on day two of play at the 2013 College Table Tennis National Championships.  Texas Wesleyan has won two of the four titles decided thus far.
 
In men’s singles, Texas Wesleyan faced very stiff competition, particularly in the form of the University of California’s Peter Li (the 2011 US National Champion).  Li, the seventh seed in the competition, defeated Texas Wesleyan’s Jose Barbosa in the round of 16.  In the quarterfinals, Li topped Yahao Zhang 4-3 in deuce.  The third time proved to be the charm for the Rams when Zhedi Bai squared off with Li in the semifinals.  This time, sixth seeded Bai prevailed 4-3 again in a thrilling deuce rally.
 
Meanwhile, fifth seeded Emil Santos cleaned up in his side of the draw.  After USC’s Grant Li nipped Razvan Cretu in the quarterfinals, Santos defeated Li in the semifinals to setup an all Wesleyan final.  That final proved to be all Santos as the freshman from the Dominican Republic won in four to become the fourth Ram to win the men’s singles title.  Santos joins and elite group with past champions Razvan Cretu (2002), Eric Owens (2003, 04, 05, 06), and Mark Hazinski (2007, 09, 11).
 
In women’s singles action, Claudia Lie Ikeizumi (seeded ninth) nearly upset fifth seeded Tao Li out of VCU in the quarterfinals, but fell 3-2 in deuce.  Sara Hazinski reached the semifinals before being stopped 3-2 by the top seed, Jiaqi Zheng of Northwestern Polytechnic.
 
In Saturday’s team competition, both the Coed and women’s teams defeated Harvard to close out pool play.  Both teams have advanced to the championship bracket where they will begin quarterfinal play on Sunday.  The Lady Rams are seeded third and will take on seventh seeded Rutgers at 10:00 a.m.  The coed team is the tournament’s top seed and will meet the winner of number seven Ottawa and number fourteen Maryland at 11:00 a.m.