Blue Raiders Split Sunday Matches

Sunday, February 17

Murfreesboro, TN

11 AM

Middle Tennessee

South Alabama

2/17/2019 7:15:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – After falling to South Alabama in a 4-3 nail-biter Sunday at Adams Tennis Complex, Middle Tennessee responded dominantly in the night cap of the doubleheader by sweeping Alabama A&M 7-0.

MTSU 7, Alabama A&M 0
The Blue Raiders continued their doubles success, winning their fifth straight doubles point in as many matches in the nightcap of the doubleheader. The team of Max Rauch and Francisco Rocha was the first off the courts with a dominant 6-1 score on court three. Junior Tom Moonen and sophomore Chris Edge easily won their second match of the day, clinching the doubles point for the Blue Raiders.

With the doubles point locked up, the Blue Raiders continued their dominance in singles. The Bulldogs only won a combined 12 games in the first and second sets. All six matches were straight set wins for Middle Tennessee.

Singles competition
1. Stijn Slump (MT) def. Hsiang Yi Wang (AA&M) 6-0, 6-0
2. Gonzalo Morell (MT) def. Nishangan Nadaraja (AA&M) 6-2, 6-1
3. Tom Moonen (MT) def. Fermin Ruiz Gespo (AA&M) 6-0, 6-2
4. Pavel Motl (MT) def. Shakir Elvin (AA&M) 6-2, 6-2
5. Francisco Rocha (MT) def. Rodrigo Arana Rios (AA&M) 6-1, 6-1
6. Luis Morillo Diaz (MT) def. Cristian Bigott (AA&M) 6-1, 6-0

South Alabama 4, MTSU 3
Middle Tennessee fought to the final match with South Alabama in the first half of the doubleheader, but the Blue Raiders dropped a 4-3 decision to the Jaguars.

The Blue Raiders grabbed the first point in the match by claiming doubles wins on courts one and three, with top doubles partners Tom Moonen and Chris Edge earning a decisive 6-2 win. Gonzalo Morell and Pavel Motl the clinched the MT point with a 6-4 winner.

In singles play, four of the six matches went to three sets. The Jaguars claimed the first three, putting the pressure on the Blue Raiders. Rauch, on court five, battled in a thrilling three-set match, earning a tie-breaker win 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) to keep MT in the running. Edge followed by winning another three-set thriller 4-6, 7-6 (6-4), 6-3, tying the score up at 3 and setting Stijn Slump up to go for the victory on court two.

Slump, against nationally ranked No. 95 Clement Marzol, started the first set strong, winning 6-4, but then would fall in the second 6-4, forcing a decisive third set with the match on the line. The set came down to the wire, but South Alabama clinched the win as Marzol eventually beat Slump 7-5.

Up Next

The Blue Raiders will continue their home stand as they play host to St. John's Friday at 5 p.m. It will be the second meeting all-time against the Red Storm, the first ending in a 5-2 win for the men in blue on Feb. 3, 2018.