Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Friday, April 10
Orlando, Fla.
2:00 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
3
at
4
UCF
MT falls in tight match at UCF
4/10/2015 4:40:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Blue Raiders drop road match 4-3
ORLANDO, Fla. - Middle Tennessee faced its first test on the road of the weekend as the Blue Raiders narrowly fell 4-3 to UCF on Friday afternoon.
As doubles play started UCF took the first match as Ettore Zito and Dima Zymantovich could not get the edge at the No. 3 spot and fell 6-1 and ended the duo's six-match winning streak.
Yannick Born and Miguel Negre Fernandez kept the Blue Raiders in it as they collected a dominant 6-1 win at the No. 2 doubles court.
The Knights were able to clinch the doubles point after Chris Barrus and Inaki Espindola took down Ben Davis and Victor Hoang 6-2 on the top court.
As singles play got underway, UCF was able to take a quick 3-0 lead after Born fell 6-4, 6-4 at the No. 3 spot and Zymantovich fell short 6-2, 7-5 on the No. 5 court.
Gian Issa was able to start the Blue Raiders rally as he collected a well fought 7-6 (7-3) win in his first set at the No. 4 spot and followed that with a 6-3 win in the second set to give MT its first point.
As the team trailed 3-1, Zito stepped in to earn a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 win over UCF's Jose Sangroniz at the No.2 spot.
Davis gained the momentum on the top-court after a long first set where he collected the 7-6 (7-5) win and then carried on to get a 6-3 win in the second set to tie the match at three a piece. With Davis' victory he was able to extend his singles win streak to five matches.
All eyes shifted to the No. 6 court where Robin Riethmueller and Jesse Flores duked it out for the team victory. Heading into the match Riethmueller was 9-1 at the No. 6 position. Riethmueller grabbed the win in the first set 6-4, but fell 6-2 in the second set as the two were the only competitors to make it to the third set on the afternoon. The Knights ultimately came away with the win after Flores took the third set 6-1 over Riethmueller.
MT continues its Florida road swing with a match at No. 19 South Florida on Sunday at 12 p.m. to wrap up the regular season before the Blue Raiders start their road to the C-USA Championship.
UCF 4, Middle Tennessee 3
Singles competition
1. Ben Davis (MT) def. Francesc Aulina (UCF) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
2. Ettore Zito (MT) def. Jose Sangroniz (UCF) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
3. Inaki Espindola (UCF) def. Yannick Born (MT) 6-4, 6-4
4. Gian Issa (MT) def. Chris Barrus (UCF) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
5. Mariano Porter (UCF) def. Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) 6-2, 7-5
6. Jesse Flores (UCF) def. Robin Riethmueller (MT) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Chris Barrus/Inaki Espindola (UCF) def. Victor Hoang/Ben Davis (MT) 6-2
2. Yannick Born/Miguel Fernandez (MT) def. Mariano Porter/Jesse Flores (UCF) 6-1
3. Francesc Aulina/Tyler Pate (UCF) def. Ettore Zito/Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) 6-1
Match Notes:
Middle Tennessee 13-11
UCF 15-8
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3,5,4,2,1,6)
As doubles play started UCF took the first match as Ettore Zito and Dima Zymantovich could not get the edge at the No. 3 spot and fell 6-1 and ended the duo's six-match winning streak.
Yannick Born and Miguel Negre Fernandez kept the Blue Raiders in it as they collected a dominant 6-1 win at the No. 2 doubles court.
The Knights were able to clinch the doubles point after Chris Barrus and Inaki Espindola took down Ben Davis and Victor Hoang 6-2 on the top court.
As singles play got underway, UCF was able to take a quick 3-0 lead after Born fell 6-4, 6-4 at the No. 3 spot and Zymantovich fell short 6-2, 7-5 on the No. 5 court.
Gian Issa was able to start the Blue Raiders rally as he collected a well fought 7-6 (7-3) win in his first set at the No. 4 spot and followed that with a 6-3 win in the second set to give MT its first point.
As the team trailed 3-1, Zito stepped in to earn a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 win over UCF's Jose Sangroniz at the No.2 spot.
Davis gained the momentum on the top-court after a long first set where he collected the 7-6 (7-5) win and then carried on to get a 6-3 win in the second set to tie the match at three a piece. With Davis' victory he was able to extend his singles win streak to five matches.
All eyes shifted to the No. 6 court where Robin Riethmueller and Jesse Flores duked it out for the team victory. Heading into the match Riethmueller was 9-1 at the No. 6 position. Riethmueller grabbed the win in the first set 6-4, but fell 6-2 in the second set as the two were the only competitors to make it to the third set on the afternoon. The Knights ultimately came away with the win after Flores took the third set 6-1 over Riethmueller.
MT continues its Florida road swing with a match at No. 19 South Florida on Sunday at 12 p.m. to wrap up the regular season before the Blue Raiders start their road to the C-USA Championship.
UCF 4, Middle Tennessee 3
Singles competition
1. Ben Davis (MT) def. Francesc Aulina (UCF) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
2. Ettore Zito (MT) def. Jose Sangroniz (UCF) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
3. Inaki Espindola (UCF) def. Yannick Born (MT) 6-4, 6-4
4. Gian Issa (MT) def. Chris Barrus (UCF) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
5. Mariano Porter (UCF) def. Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) 6-2, 7-5
6. Jesse Flores (UCF) def. Robin Riethmueller (MT) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Chris Barrus/Inaki Espindola (UCF) def. Victor Hoang/Ben Davis (MT) 6-2
2. Yannick Born/Miguel Fernandez (MT) def. Mariano Porter/Jesse Flores (UCF) 6-1
3. Francesc Aulina/Tyler Pate (UCF) def. Ettore Zito/Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) 6-1
Match Notes:
Middle Tennessee 13-11
UCF 15-8
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3,5,4,2,1,6)
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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Sunday, March 29
Friday, March 27
