Blue Raiders battle against Northwestern

Saturday, February 13

Chicago

Middle Tennessee

Northwestern

2/13/2010 4:42:00 PM | Men's Tennis

By: MT Athletic Communications

EVANVILLE, Ind. - The Blue Raiders battled against No. 38 Northwestern on Saturday afternoon but fell 4-3. Middle Tennessee began the match by winning the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Richard Cowden and freshman Shaun Waters defeated Sidarth Balaji and Eric Spector 8-5. Junior Victor Melo and sophomore Matthew Langley paired up against Tobias Reitz and Spencer Wolf winning 8-5 and giving the Blue Raiders the point. Northwestern tied the match at 1 after Mark Schanerman defeated senior Alex McCann 6-1, 6-2. Then Melo won his match 6-2, 6-4 over Balaji making 2-1 in favor of Middle Tennessee. Peers defeated Joshua Graves 7-5, 6-2 to give the Blue Raiders a 3-1 advantage in the match. Northwestern won its next two tying the match at 3. Cowden who was facing Wolf lost the first set but won the second 6-4 forcing a third set and keeping the Blue Raiders alive. Cowden and Wolf battled in the final set before Wolf pulled it out 7-5. The Blue Raiders will be back in action on Sunday, Feb. 14 when they face DePaul at noon.