Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
St. John's
Blue Raiders Wrap Up Nine-Match Home Stretch
2/21/2019 9:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – A nine-match home stretch wraps up for Middle Tennessee's men's tennis team this weekend as it takes on St. John's on Friday before hosting North Florida (11 a.m.) and Tennessee State (3:30 p.m.) in a doubleheader Sunday.
The Blue Raiders have won five straight doubles points, finishing 7-1 this past weekend in doubles action.
Fans can follow the action on Twitter (@MT_MensTennis).
Game Information
Where: Adams Tennis Complex, Murfreesboro
When: Friday, 5 p.m. (Feb. 22) and Sunday, 11 a.m./3:30 p.m. (Feb. 24)
Who: St. John's, North Florida and Tennessee State
Opponents
St. John's
Series: Blue Raiders lead 1-0
Last Meeting: Feb. 3, 2018, MT won 5-2
Player to watch: Alan Nunez Aguilera (Co-Big East Player of the Year)
This will be the second meeting all-time between the Blue Raiders and Red Storm. St. John's goes into Friday with a 4-2 record this year, falling to Brown and nationally ranked Columbia. Last season, St. John's finished 14-6 overall and lost to No. 3 seed Marquette in the Big East semifinals, 4-2.
North Florida
Series: Tied, 2-2
Last Meeting: March 8, 2018, MT won 4-3
Player to watch: Dominik Barton (13-6 overall)
Sunday's match will be the fifth meeting between the Blue Raiders and Ospreys. UNF is 4-4 on the season with wins over Louisiana, UAB, Mercer and Buffalo. Last year, the Ospreys finished 13-9 overall and won the ASUN championship over No. 2 seed Stetson, 4-1. They fell to No. 40 Miami 4-0 in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
Tennessee State
Series: Blue Raiders lead, 23-0
Last Meeting: Jan. 28, 2018, MT won 7-0
Player to watch: Leandros Misdrachis (3-2 overall, 2-1 singles)
The Blue Raiders have won 24 straight times against the Tigers since 1980. The last time TSU won a game against the men in blue was Jan. 16, 2017, when MT won 6-1. This year, the Tigers are 4-3 with losses to Vandy, Wichita State and North Dakota.
MT players to watch
Gonzalo Morell Raschiatore – He is 10-7 overall and sitting on a three-match win streak with Pavel Motl in doubles.
Max Rauch/Francisco Rocha – 10-4 overall, and the duo has won eight of the last 10, going 2-1 this past weekend. Rocha bolsters a 16-5 doubles match record since August 2018, while Rauch is 15-6 in singles competition, winning eight of the last 10.
Chris Edge/Tom Moonen – the pair was ranked No. 32 in the ITA doubles rankings in the fall. Currently, they have an 11-5 overall record with three straight wins, and Edge is holding his own in singles, winning seven of the last nine matches with a 10-7 overall record.
Pavel Motl – the freshman won two of his three singles matches this past weekend, including a match winner against Rice in the No. 6 spot. He has an overall record of 12-8 in singles, and he and Gonzalo Morell Raschiatore are currently are riding a three match win streak.
Daniel Stormon – another freshman who holds an eye-popping 12-2 doubles record.
Social Media
Follow the Blue Raiders all season long:
Twitter: @MT_MensTennis
Facebook: Middle Tennessee Blue Raider Mens' Tennis
Instagram: @MT_MensTennis
Players Mentioned
