MT takes No. 13 TCU to the wire

Friday, March 6

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

2:00 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

TCU

3/6/2015 6:48:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Blue Raiders battled with nationally ranked Horned Frogs

By: @MTAthletics

Box Score (PDF)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee men's tennis program fell short to the most dynamic opponent on the team's schedule, as the the Blue Raiders were defeated 3-4 by the TCU Horned Frogs.

Without Ben Davis in the lineup, the Blue Raiders had to step up and play their best match of the year. And they did just that. Although the score may seem unpleasant to some, the fight and determination of Jimmy Borendame's squad is tough to match.

That tough spirit began in doubles play, as the No. 1 doubles pair of Ettore Zito and Victor Hoang took down the #20 ITA ranked doubles team in the nation of Nick Chappell and Will Stein, 6-4 after jumping out to a 4-1 lead.

At No. 2 doubles Gian Issa and Yannick Born were defeated 7-5. Robin Riethmueller and Miguel Negre Fernandez fell short at No. 3 by a score of 6-4.

Dima Zyhmantovich did not play doubles, but was given the task of No. 2 singles with Davis out. The junior's comeback attempt was stopped by the #48 ranked singles player, and the score was 6-3, 6-2 in favor of TCU's Nick Chappell.

MT then got on the board in a major way, with Zito dismantling the #28 ranked singles player Cameron Norrie, 6-1, 6-3. Born followed that up at No. 4 singles with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-2) win, having to come back from a second set deficit and later dominating the tie-break.

No. 3 singles was a battle, but Hoang came up short in the third set to drop the match 6-3, 2-6, 1-6. The match was decided at No. 5, with Issa playing the #110 ranked player in the country and losing a first set tie-break and gaining ground in the second set, but ultimately was defeated 7-6 (8-6), 6-2.

Riethmueller faced TCU's Trey Daniel at No. 6. Riethmueller dropped the first set, but looked smooth in the second, to send it to a third set match tie-break, where he dominated to win the match 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-3).

MT went toe-to-toe with one of the nation's top tennis programs, and fell short to TCU, 3-4.

The Blue Raiders men's tennis team will be on the road to Charleston, South Carolina, to play College of Charleston and The Citadel on March 10 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.

#13 TCU 4, Middle Tennessee 3
Singles competition
1. Ettore Zito (MT) def. #28 Cameron Norrie (TCU) 6-1, 6-3
2. #48 Nick Chappell (TCU) def. Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) 6-3, 6-2
3. Guillermo Nuñez (TCU) def. Victor Hoang (MT) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
4. Yannick Born (MT) def. Arnau Dachs (TCU) 6-1, 7-6 (7-2)
5. #110 Facundo Lugones (TCU) def. Gian Issa (MT) 7-6 (8-6), 6-2
6. Robin Riethmueller (MT) def. Trey Daniel (TCU) 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-3)

Doubles competition
1. Ettore Zito/Victor Hoang (MT) def. #20 Nick Chappell/Will Stein (TCU) 6-4
2. Cameron Norrie/Guillermo Nuñez (TCU) def. Gian Issa/Yannick Born (MT) 7-5
3. Hudson Blake/Facundo Lugones (TCU) def. Robin Riethmueller/Miguel Fernandez (MT) 6-4