Raiders edge Rice, host No. 22 Tulane Friday

Wednesday, February 28

Houston, Texas

4 PM

Middle Tennessee

Rice

2/28/2018 7:42:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Pink Out Match set for Friday at the ATC

By: @MTAthletics

Results
Season Statistics

HOUSTON – After Middle Tennessee (11-2) opened up a 3-0 lead, two-time defending Conference USA champion Rice (4-7) won three consecutive matches to knot the score at 3-3, but the Blue Raiders came away with the 4-3 win.

"For our first outdoor match, it was ugly, scrappy tennis," MT head coach Jimmy Borendame said. "Rice is always a feisty team, and they fight hard. This was a team win, and it's not easy to play at Rice."

Max Rauch and Nicolas Buitrago Machado were first to finish in doubles with a 6-2 win at No. 3, and the Blue Raiders battled with the Owls on courts one and two. Tom Moonen and Chris Edge came from behind at No. 1 to force a tiebreaker, and the pair won the tiebreaker and clinch the first point in the match.

Luis Morillo Diaz moved to 4-0 this season after a dominant performance at No. 6, 6-0, 6-0. Gian Issa improved his dual match singles record to 13-0 with a 6-2, 6-3 victory on court five to give the Blue Raiders a 3-0 lead.

With their backs against the wall, Rice won straight-set matches on courts one and two, followed by a three-set win at No. 4, which tied the match at 3-3.

Edge cruised in his first set at No. 3, 6-1, but the Owls claimed the second set and extended the match. The freshman won the third set, 6-4, and gave MT its third C-USA win of the season.

"Chris is a freshmen, but he carried himself like a senior tonight," Borendame added. "In doubles and in singles, he was composed and focused despite the moment. He was clutch."

Looking forward to Friday, the Blue Raiders will host No. 22 Tulane at 2 p.m. at the Adams Tennis Complex. The Green Wave brings a 5-3 record into Murfreesboro, including a 2-3 mark against nationally ranked teams. MT assistant coach Sebastian Rey will be coaching against his old teammates, as four members of last year's Tulane squad that won over MT, 7-0, returned for the 2018 season.

The Green Wave has a winning record at every doubles and singles spot in the lineup. Ewan Moore, Tyler Schick and Hamish Stewart all share a lead in dual matches won with six.

MT will be wearing pink on Friday afternoon in support of breast cancer awareness. Live stats will be available, and updates and information will be posted on Twitter, @MT_MensTennis, and Facebook, MTSU Men's Tennis.