MT wins one of three in Shootout

Friday, March 25

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

2 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

UAB

3/27/2016 12:22:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Blue Raiders take down USA on Saturday

By: Matt Posey, @MTAthletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – In its annual shootout, Middle Tennessee came away with one win in three days, shutting out South Alabama on Saturday.

The MT Shootout began with UAB turning back the Blue Raiders, 4-2, on Friday. The Blazers started off hot, winning the doubles portion of the match to take an early lead.

Miguel Negre Fernandez earned a dominant win at No. 3, 6-2, 6-1, to make the score 1-1. Gian Issa followed with a 6-3, 6-3 victory at the bottom of the lineup to tie the match at 2-2.

UAB then took control and never looked back, winning at the No. 5 spot and clinching the match at No. 1 in three sets.

Middle Tennessee rebounded on Saturday in a huge way, shutting out South Alabama 4-0.

Ayed Zatar Cordero and Gonzalo Morell Raschiatore opened up the match in dominant fashion, winning 6-1 at No. 1 doubles. Negre and Issa gave MT the doubles point after winning 7-5 at No. 2.

Zatar was first to finish singles play, working fast at No. 4 to win 6-3, 6-4. Morell took the win at the top spot in the lineup by a score of 6-3, 6-2. Luis Morillo Diaz clinched the win for the Blue Raiders, winning 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 at No. 6.

Three matches went unfinished against the Jaguars. Dima Zyhmantovich was up a set at No. 2, 7-5, 3-4. Negre was one game away from taking the win, 7-5, 6-5. Also one game away was Issa at No. 5, as his score was 6-4, 5-4.

No. 66 Georgia State closed out the MT Shootout by defeating the Blue Raiders, 4-1, on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers led 1-0 after doubles play, winning at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles.

Rain forced the match to move from the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center to the Adams Tennis Complex in the middle of singles action.

MT picked up a little momentum once the match got underway once again, but it wasn't enough, as Negre was the only Blue Raider to notch a victory over Georgia State. Two matches went unfinished, including a near victory from Morillo at No. 6.

MT will host Memphis and VCU next weekend as the regular season is winding down. The 2016 Conference USA Men's Tennis Championship will be in Houston, Texas, on April 22-24.

UAB vs Middle Tennessee
3/25/2016 at Murfreesboro, Tenn.
UAB 4, #62 Middle Tennessee 2

Singles competition
1. Mitchell Martell (UAB) def. Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) 7-6 (7-4), 0-6, 6-4
2. Gonzalo Morell (MT) vs. Eric Komati (UAB) 4-6, 6-3, 4-3, unfinished
3. Miguel Negre (MT) def. Oliver Poysti (UAB) 6-2, 6-1
4. Christian Coetzee (UAB) def. Ayed Zatar Cordero (MT) 6-3, 6-3
5. Stepan Vancurik (UAB) def. Luis Morillo Diaz (MT) 6-1, 7-5
6. Gian Issa (MT) def. Kenton Parton (UAB) 6-3, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Ayed Zatar Cordero/Gonzalo Morell (MT) def. Christian Coetzee/Kenton Parton (UAB) 6-2
2. Luiz Felipe Pinto/Mitchell Martell (UAB) def. Miguel Negre/Gian Issa (MT) 7-6 (7-5)
3. Eric Komati/Stepan Vancurik (UAB) def. Luis Morillo Diaz/Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) 6-4

Match Notes:
UAB 10-6
Middle Tennessee 13-4; National ranking #62
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (3,4,6,5,1)
Official: Ted Mason T-3:04 A-52

South Alabama vs Middle Tennessee
3/26/2016 at Murfreesboro, Tenn.
#62 Middle Tennessee 4, South Alabama 0

Singles competition
1. Gonzalo Morell (MT) def. Srkala, Tim (USA) 6-3, 6-2
2. Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) vs. Jacobs, Tuki (USA) 7-5, 3-4, unfinished
3. Miguel Negre (MT) vs. Troglia, Juan (USA) 7-5, 6-5, unfinished
4. Ayed Zatar Cordero (MT) def. Noyon, Pierre (USA) 6-3, 6-4
5. Gian Issa (MT) vs. Gingras, Olivier (USA) 6-4, 5-4, unfinished
6. Luis Morillo Diaz (MT) def. Gonzalez, Lucas (USA) 7-6 (7-2), 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Ayed Zatar Cordero/Gonzalo Morell (MT) def. Gruindelingh, G./Gingras, Olivier (USA) 6-1
2. Miguel Negre/Gian Issa (MT) def. Srkala, Tim/Troglia, Juan (USA) 7-5
3. Noyon, Pierre/Jacobs, Tuki (USA) def. Dima Zyhmantovich/Luis Morillo Diaz (MT) 6-3

Match Notes:
South Alabama 12-9
Middle Tennessee 14-4; National ranking #62
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,1,6)
Official: Ted Mason T-2:15 A-63

Georgia State vs Middle Tennessee
3/27/2016 at Murfreesboro, Tenn.
#66 Georgia State 4, #62 Middle Tennessee 1

Singles competition
1. Gonzalo Morell (MT) vs. Koeke,Jannis (GSU) 6-7 (3-7), 4-4, unfinished
2. Kennedy,Zackery (GSU) def. Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) 7-5, 6-2
3. Miguel Negre (MT) def. Acuna,Sebastian (GSU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
4. Andrukhou,Andrei (GSU) def. Gian Issa (MT) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
5. MacFarlane,Jack (GSU) def. Ayed Zatar Cordero (MT) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
6. Luis Morillo Diaz (MT) vs. Jaworski,Felipe (GSU) 4-6, 6-2, 5-1, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Acuna,Sebastian/Andrukhou,Andrei (GSU) def. Ayed Zatar Cordero/Gonzalo Morell (MT) 7-6 (7-5)
2. Miguel Negre/Gian Issa (MT) def. Kennedy,Zackery/MacFarlane,Jack (GSU) 7-5
3. Koeke,Jannis/Jaworski,Felipe (GSU) def. Luis Morillo Diaz/Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) 6-1

Match Notes:
Georgia State 13-4; National ranking #66
Middle Tennessee 14-5; National ranking #62
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,3,4,5)
Play suspended at 4:22 due to rain.
Match moved to Adams Tennis Complex.
Play resumed at Adams Tennis Complex at 5:16.
Official: Ted Mason T-3:40 A-48