Blue Raiders fall to No. 13 Tennessee 5-2

Saturday, February 23

Knoxville, Tenn.

11:00 AM

Middle Tennessee

#13 Tennessee

2/23/2008 5:31:00 PM | Men's Tennis

By: MT Media Relations

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Freshman Chris Nowak and sophomore Joao Paoliello led Middle Tennessee against No. 13 Tennessee on Saturday but it was not enough as the Blue Raiders fell 5-2. Nowak defeated Chris Racz 6-4, 6-4 in No. 5 singles while Paoliello won his match 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (7) over Matt Brewer in No. 6 singles. Middle Tennessee fell to 4-7 while the Volunteers remained undefeated at 10-0. Tennessee began the match by sweeping the doubles matches to win the point. No. 17 Kaden Hensel and J.P. Smith defeated junior Morgan Richard and sophomore Marc Rocafort 8-1. Then the Vols clinched the point as No. 35 Boris Conkic and Davey Sandgren defeated Nowak and freshman John Peers 8-5. No.3 doubles was not as easy for Tennessee as the Blue Raiders' Paoliello and freshman Richard Cowden put up a fight forcing a tie-breaker before falling 8-7 (4) to Matteo Fago and Jeremy Tweedt. In other singles action, Rocafort played No. 1 as he fell to No. 20 Smith 7-6, 6-2. Peers faced No. 74 Hensel in No. 2 singles as he was defeated 6-3, 6-4. Richard lost to Sandgren 6-4, 6-4 while Cowden lost his match 6-4, 6-0 to Conkic in No. 4 singles. Middle Tennessee will be back in action on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m. when it faces No.30 Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn. Singles
1. #20 J.P. Smith (UT) def. Marc Rocafort (MT) 7-6, 6-2
2. #74 Kaden Hensel (UT) def. John Peers (MT) 6-3, 6-4
3. Davey Sandgren (UT) def. Morgan Richard (MT) 6-4, 6-4
4. Boris Conkic (UT) def. Richard Cowden (MT) 6-4, 6-0
5. Chris Nowak (MT) def. Chris Racz (UT) 6-4, 6-4
6. Joao Paoliello (MT) def. Matt Brewer (UT) 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (7-0)
Doubles
1. #17 Kaden Hensel/J.P. Smith (UT) def. Morgan Richard/Marc Rocafort (MT) 8-1
2. #35 Boris Conkic/Davey Sandgren (UT) def. Chris Nowak/John Peers (MT) 8-5
3. Matteo Fago/Jeremy Tweedt (UT) def. Joao Paoliello/Richard Cowden (MT) 8-7 (4-0)
Match Notes:
Middle Tennessee 4-7; National ranking #61
Tennessee 10-0; National ranking #13
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,2,4,1,5,6)