Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Sunday, February 14
South Bend, IN
11 AM
Middle Tennessee
4
at
3
Notre Dame
Rocha completes come-from-behind win over Notre Dame, 4-3
2/14/2021 4:06:00 PM | Men's Tennis
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Junior Pavel Motl captured his 100 combined win and fellow junior Francisco Rocha won a clutch match as the Middle Tennessee men's tennis team downed Notre Dame, 4-3, on Sunday at the Courtney Tennis Courts.
"All the credit goes to the team, I didn't like how we carried ourselves in the doubles and I challenged the guys, they all responded," said head coach Jimmy Borendame. "This is a big win as Notre Dame is always a highly nationally ranked program. I'm a very proud coach".
With both sides on the brink of clinching at 3-3, Rocha activated his clutch gene. He earned a well-timed break to put him up at 5-3 and held in the third set to top Matthew Che, clinching the match at 4-3.
The win was the Blue Raiders (6-3) first over Notre Dame (5-4) and the third match with a one-point difference this season.
In doubles, Notre Dame got the early jump on the Blue Raiders as the Fighting Irish quickly took wins on courts one and three at 6-2 and 6-3 marks.
Graduate Tom Moonen and senior Chris Edge earned the lone doubles win over William Howells and Matt Gamble, 6-3, at No. 2.
With Notre Dame up 1-0, the Blue Raiders knotted the score at 1-1 as graduate Max Rauch quickly downed Matthew Halpin, 6-1, 6-1 on court six.
At No. 1, the Irish regained the advantage. After battling through a second-set tiebreak, Moonen would fall in straight-sets giving Notre Dame a 2-1 lead.
Chris Edge would respond for the Blue Raiders with a 6-3, 7-6, straight-set win on court four. 2-2.
In a match of breaks, Stijn Slump was defeated at the No. 2 spot in a tough 7-5, 7-6 decision putting the Irish on the brink of victory.
Motl gave the Blue Raiders an inch and that is all they needed. He earned his historic 100th career combined win to tie the match up at 3-3 at the No. 5 position. Motl came back to defeat Jean-Marc Malkowski, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, capturing his 11th singles win this season.
With the match knotted at 3-3, Rocha came up big for the Blue Raiders pulling out the clincher in clutch style.
UP NEXT
The Blue Raiders get a much-needed break as they return to the Adams Tennis Complex for a Sunday afternoon doubleheader with Lipscomb and Tennessee State February 28. First serve from the ATC is slated for 12 p.m. CT.
"All the credit goes to the team, I didn't like how we carried ourselves in the doubles and I challenged the guys, they all responded," said head coach Jimmy Borendame. "This is a big win as Notre Dame is always a highly nationally ranked program. I'm a very proud coach".
With both sides on the brink of clinching at 3-3, Rocha activated his clutch gene. He earned a well-timed break to put him up at 5-3 and held in the third set to top Matthew Che, clinching the match at 4-3.
The win was the Blue Raiders (6-3) first over Notre Dame (5-4) and the third match with a one-point difference this season.
In doubles, Notre Dame got the early jump on the Blue Raiders as the Fighting Irish quickly took wins on courts one and three at 6-2 and 6-3 marks.
Graduate Tom Moonen and senior Chris Edge earned the lone doubles win over William Howells and Matt Gamble, 6-3, at No. 2.
With Notre Dame up 1-0, the Blue Raiders knotted the score at 1-1 as graduate Max Rauch quickly downed Matthew Halpin, 6-1, 6-1 on court six.
At No. 1, the Irish regained the advantage. After battling through a second-set tiebreak, Moonen would fall in straight-sets giving Notre Dame a 2-1 lead.
Chris Edge would respond for the Blue Raiders with a 6-3, 7-6, straight-set win on court four. 2-2.
In a match of breaks, Stijn Slump was defeated at the No. 2 spot in a tough 7-5, 7-6 decision putting the Irish on the brink of victory.
Motl gave the Blue Raiders an inch and that is all they needed. He earned his historic 100th career combined win to tie the match up at 3-3 at the No. 5 position. Motl came back to defeat Jean-Marc Malkowski, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, capturing his 11th singles win this season.
With the match knotted at 3-3, Rocha came up big for the Blue Raiders pulling out the clincher in clutch style.
UP NEXT
The Blue Raiders get a much-needed break as they return to the Adams Tennis Complex for a Sunday afternoon doubleheader with Lipscomb and Tennessee State February 28. First serve from the ATC is slated for 12 p.m. CT.
COME
— MT Men's Tennis (@MT_MensTennis) February 14, 2021
FROM
BEHIND pic.twitter.com/xIpw1UBQVo
DOWN GOES THE IRISH! 👀
— MT Men's Tennis (@MT_MensTennis) February 14, 2021
The Blue Raiders head home with a come-from-behind victory over Notre Dame.
🔵#BlueRaiders⚫️ pic.twitter.com/qKc0NOlCw7
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,2,3
#1 Singles Match
12
26
Richard Ciamarra / 0 [NDMTEN]
67
#2 Singles Match
12
56
Axel Nefve / 0 [NDMTEN]
77
#3 Singles Match
123
476
Matthew Che / 0 [NDMTEN]
663
#4 Singles Match
12
67
Connor Fu / 0 [NDMTEN]
36
#5 Singles Match
123
366
Jean-Marc Malkowski / 0 [NDMTEN]
644
#6 Singles Match
12
66
Matthew Halpin / 0 [NDMTEN]
11
Order of Finish:
6,1,4,2,5,3
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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