MT starts 2015 on a winning note

Saturday, January 17

Nashville, Tenn.

10:00 a.m.

Middle Tennessee

Chattanooga

1/17/2015 8:06:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Blue Raiders defeat UTC and Murray State

By: @MTAthletics

Nashville, Tenn. – The spring 2015 season for the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders men's team got off to a fantastic start, as the Blue Raiders defeated the Chattanooga Mocs6-1 and the Murray State Racers 7-0 in their first duel matches of the season at the Nashboro Village Athletic Club.

The Mocs started the day off right, taking two out of the three doubles matches to secure the first point of the match.

Robin Riethmueller and Dima Zyhmantovich defeated Pavels Grigorjevs and Gino Delavalle of UTC, 6-1 at the no. 3 doubles spot.

However, Ben Davis and Ettore Zito dropped the no. 1 doubles match, 6-3 to John Peacey and Lucas Plesky. To clinch the doubles point, Yannick Born and Victor Hoang took UTC's Nicklas Wingord and Luke Saunders to the wire, but dropped the match, 6-4.

Hoang set the tone in singles play by winning a quick match, 6-2, 6-2 at the no. 4 position. Zito played a solid first set, but went on to dominate the second set in no. 2 singles, 6-3, 6-0. At no. 3 singles, Zyhmantovich trailed early in the second set, but took the win, 6-4, 6-3.

Davis represented the no. 1 spot in singles play, as he won 6-4, 6-2 to earn the fourth point of the match, which clinched the first win of the young season for the Blue Raiders. Riethmueller cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 win at no. 6 singles, and Gian Issa completed the singles sweep by winning 6-1, 6-1 to give MT the 6-1 victory as a team.

For the second match of opening day, MT welcomed the Murray State Racers to the indoor courts at Nashboro Village Athletic Club.

The freshmen Miguel Negre Fernandez and Issa started off doubles play with an easy-going 6-0 victory. Born and Hoang picked up the point-clinching win, 6-1, and the no. 1 doubles team of Davis and Zito also prevailed, 6-1.

In singles play, Hoang made quick work of his opponent, winning 6-2, 6-0. Issa, Born and Zyhmantovic finished almost simultaneously, grabbing three more MT victories. Issa won at no. 4 singles, 6-0, 6-2. Born looked calm and cool as he collected the match-clinching fourth point by defeating his opponent, 6-1, 6-2. Zyhmantovic also competed well in a 6-2, 6-1 victory.

Riethmueller and Negre Fernandez completed the sweep of the Racers by winning their matches by a score of 6-0, 6-0, each.

The Blue Raiders will be back on the court Jan. 30 at the Nashville Village Athletic Club against no. 28 ranked NC State at 2 p.m. and Jackson State at 6 p.m.

Middle Tennessee 6, Chattanooga Mocs 1
Singles competition
1. Ben Davis (MT) def. Nicklas Wingord (UTC) 6-4, 6-2
2. Ettore Zito (MT) def. Lucas Plesky (UTC) 6-3, 6-0
3. Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) def. Luke Saunders (UTC) 6-4, 6-3
4. Victor Hoang (MT) def. Gino Delavalle (UTC) 6-2, 6-2
5. Gian Issa (MT) def. John Peacey (UTC) 6-1, 6-1
6. Robin Riethmueller (MT) def. Derrick Brown (UTC) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. John Peacey/Lucas Plesky (UTC) def. Ben Davis/Ettore Zito (MT) 6-3
2. Nicklas Wingord/Luke Saunders (UTC) def. Yannick Born/Victor Hoang (MT) 6-4
3. Robin Riethmueller/Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) def. Pavels Grigorjevs/Gino Delavalle (UTC) 6-1

Murray State vs Middle Tennessee
Singles competition
1. Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) def. Max Mclean (MUR) 6-2, 6-1
2. Victor Hoang (MT) def. Aleks Mitric (MUR) 6-2, 6-0
3. Yannick Born (MT) def. Srjdan Trosic (MUR) 6-1, 6-2
4. Gian Issa (MT) def. Will True (MUR) 6-0, 6-2
5. Robin Riethmueller (MT) def. David Hess (MUR) 6-0, 6-0
6. Miguel Fernandez (MT) def. Anian Kasayab (MUR) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Ben Davis/Ettore Zito (MT) def. Max Mclean/David Hess (MUR) 6-1
2. Yannick Born/Victor Hoang (MT) def. Will True/Srjdan Trosic (MUR) 6-1
3. Gian Issa/Miguel Fernandez (MT) def. Aleks Mitric/Anian Kasayab (MUR) 6-0