Men’s Tennis drops two in weekend homestand

Friday, April 1

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

2 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

No. 35 Memphis

4/3/2016 2:56:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Blue Raiders fall to Memphis and VCU

By: Matt Posey, @MTAthletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee men's tennis dropped to 14-7 on the season after falling to Memphis and VCU at home over the weekend.

No. 35 Memphis took down the Blue Raiders, 4-1, on Friday afternoon to start off the weekend. Doubles action was close in the early going, but the Tigers managed to take wins at No. 1 and No. 3. Miguel Negre Fernandez and Gian Issa delivered the Blue Raiders' only doubles win, by a score of 6-3 at No. 2.

Ryan Peniston of Memphis came into the weekend ranked No. 76 in singles by the ITA. He took the win at No. 2, 6-0, 6-1 to start singles play, putting the Tigers up 2-0. The first set at No. 3 was close at the start, but Memphis took that match, 6-3, 6-0.

The lone Blue Raider victory came courtesy of Ayed Zatar Cordero at No. 4. The freshman took the win, 6-1, 6-2. Memphis closed out the victory by winning at the top spot in the lineup, 6-3, 6-1.

Issa's match was left unfinished at No. 5, with his score at 2-6, 6-3, 1-1. Luis Morillo Diaz was also unable to complete his match, as his score was 6-2, 2-5.

The Blue Raiders went toe-to-toe with VCU on Sunday, but couldn't come away with a win.

VCU took the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3. MT came back to take the lead, 2-1 after singles wins from Zatar at No. 3, 6-1, 6-1, and Morell at No. 1, 6-2, 6-1.

The Rams took the lead back, 3-2, by winning at No. 4 in straight sets and No. 2 in three sets.

Morillo won in a third set tiebreak to knot the match up at 3-3. Robin Riethmueller was down 5-2 in his third set at No. 6, but came back to tie the third set at 5-5 before dropping the third set, 7-5, as VCU finished off the win.

Next up for the Blue Raiders is a midweek showdown with ETSU in Johnson City on April 6 at 2 p.m. The next home match for MT will be Senior Day vs. Austin Peay on April 12 at 2 p.m.

Memphis vs Middle Tennessee
4/1/2016 at Murfreesboro, Tenn.
#35 Memphis 4, #64 Middle Tennessee 1

Singles competition
1. #105 Andrew Watson (MEMPHIS) def. Gonzalo Morell (MT) 6-3, 6-1
2. #76 Ryan Peniston (MEMPHIS) def. Miguel Negre (MT) 6-0, 6-1
3. Kai Lemke (MEMPHIS) def. Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) 6-3, 6-0
4. Ayed Zatar Cordero (MT) def. Chris Patzanovsky (MEMPHIS) 6-1, 6-2
5. Gian Issa (MT) vs. Felix Rauch (MEMPHIS) 2-6, 6-3, 1-1, unfinished
6. Luis Morillo Diaz (MT) vs. Shakeel Manji (MEMPHIS) 6-2, 2-5, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Kai Lemke/Louis Asser (MEMPHIS) def. Gonzalo Morell/Ayed Zatar Cordero (MT) 6-2
2. Miguel Negre/Gian Issa (MT) def. Ryan Peniston/Felix Rauch (MEMPHIS) 6-3
3. Andrew Watson/Shakeel Manji (MEMPHIS) def. Luis Morillo Diaz/Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) 6-3

Match Notes:
Memphis 13-8; National ranking #35
Middle Tennessee 14-6; National ranking #64
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,3,4,1)
Official: Ted Mason T-1:45 A-74

VCU vs Middle Tennessee
4/3/2016 at Murfreesboro, Tenn.
VCU 4, #64 Middle Tennessee 3

Singles competition
1. Gonzalo Morell (MT) def. Michal Voscek (VCU) 6-2, 6-1
2. Vitor Lima (VCU) def. Miguel Negre (MT) 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
3. Ayed Zatar Cordero (MT) def. Daryl Monfils (VCU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Catalin Fifea (VCU) def. Gian Issa (MT) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4
5. Luis Morillo Diaz (MT) def. Louis Ishizaka (VCU) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3)
6. Philip Mobius (VCU) def. Robin Riethmueller (MT) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5

Doubles competition
1. Ayed Zatar Cordero/Gonzalo Morell (MT) vs. Vitor Lima/Daryl Monfils (VCU) 5-5, unfinished
2. Arvid Noren/Louis Ishizaka (VCU) def. Miguel Negre/Gian Issa (MT) 6-4
3. Catalin Fifea/Michal Voscek (VCU) def. Dima Zyhmantovich/Luis Morillo Diaz (MT) 6-1

Match Notes:
VCU 15-7
Middle Tennessee 14-7; National ranking #64
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,1,4,2,5,6)
Official: Ted Mason T-2:53 A-64