Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
#30 Harvard
Blue Raiders Hold On For 4-3 Win
3/14/2003 8:16:00 PM | Men's Tennis
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The doubles tandem of Daniel Klemetz and Brandon Allan won 8-6 at No. 1 doubles to give No. 60 Middle Tennessee the doubles point and a 4-3 victory over 30th-ranked Harvard in a five-and-a-hour marathon Friday morning at the National Blue-Gray Tennis Classic in Montgomery, Ala.
Singles were played first in the match due to Friday's rain, with the two teams splitting the six matches, forcing doubles play.
Twelth-ranked Klemetz won at No. 1 singles, 0-6, 6-3, 6-3, over David Lingman, and Kirk Jackson defeated Mark Riddell, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, at No. 2. Anant Sitaram gave the Blue Raiders their other singles win, at No. 4, a 7-6 (10), 6-4 victory over Cliff Nguyen.
But the Crimson would win three singles matches to even the score, as George Turner took care of Rishan Kuruppu at No. 5, 6-4, 6-3, and Oli Choo won 6-4, 6-4, over Trevor Short at No. 6.
Middle Tennessee's Michael Staniak was up in the third set but dropped a 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (5) decision to 55th-ranked Jonathan Chu at No. 4 to even the match at three.
In doubles play, Harvard won 8-2 at No. 3, as Nguyen and Turner defeated Short and Staniak. But the Blue Raiders came back with a 9-8 (7) triumph at No. 2, with Jackson and Sitaram taking care of Chu and Chris Chiou.
Allan and Klemetz's match was on serve until the duo broke 41st-ranked Lingman and Riddell at 6-5. Allan then served out the match to give the Blue Raiders the victory, as both teams began to cramp on a hot-and-humid day in Montgomery.
Middle Tennessee was to take on Rice at 6 p.m. Saturday evening in Montgomery, but rain forced the match to be moved to 8 a.m. Sunday. The Blue Raiders will host Georgia State on March 21 at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center.
#60 MIDDLE TENNESSEE 4, #30 HARVARD 3
SINGLES
1. (12) Daniel Klemetz (MT) def. David Lingman (HU), 0-6, 6-3, 6-3
2. Kirk Jackson (MT) def. Mark Riddell (HU), 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
3. (55) Jonathan Chu (HU) def. Michael Staniak (MT), 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5)
4. Anant Sitaram (MT) def. Cliff Nguyen (HU), 7-6 (10), 6-4
5. George Turner (HU) def. Rishan Kuruppu (MT), 6-4, 6-3
6. Oli Choo (HU) def. Trevor Short (MT), 6-4, 6-4
DOUBLES
1. Brandon Allan-Klemetz (MT) def. (41) Lingman-Riddell (HU), 8-6
2. Jackson-Sitaram (MT) def. Chu-Chris Chiou (HU), 9-7
3. Nguyen-Turner (HU) def. Short-Staniak, 8-2
Players Mentioned
