Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
10/25/2026 1:13:00 AM | Men's Tennis
ROME, Ga. – The Middle Tennessee men's tennis team finished its second day at the Rome Invitational, winning four matches, including three doubles and one singles game.
In doubles, John Popowich and Rich LaLance won both of their matchups, while Alexandre Vassard and Houston Jacques won their second doubles match of the tournament.
Eric Crivei picked up MTSU's lone singles match of the day with his straight-set victory late Saturday afternoon.
Crivei and Lora fell in a tiebreaker set to Tennessee's Alan Bojarski and Oscar Lacides, 7-6 (2).
Popowich and LaLance bested Orel Kimhi and Martin Doskocil, while Vassard and Jacques strolled past Adrien Abarca and Shion Itsusaki, both by a 6-3 scoreline.
Vassard and Jacques, along with Crivei and Lora, were handed defeats by the exact same scoreline against UGA's Noble Renfrow and James Weber and Gabriele Vulpitta and Cooper Johnson, respectively.
Popowich and LaLance edged out Eudald Gonzalez and Oliver Sanders in a tiebreaker set, winning 7-6 (5).
In singles, Crivei was the only Blue Raider to claim victory, defeating Mississippi State's Diego Duran in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5.
Middle Tennessee dropped the rest of its singles bouts against Mississippi State, with the exception of Jacques, who fell to LSU's Nikolas Stoot, 7-5, 6-4.
Against Luigi Valleta, Vassard was unable to claim a set, falling, 6-2, 6-4.
Rich LaLance was bested by Marshall Landry, 6-3, 6-1, while Santiago Lora could not come out on top against Segundo Goity Zapico, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Although he brought the match to a tiebreaker, Popowich narrowly fell to Roberto Ferrer Guima, 6-7 (4), 6-0, 6-2.
The Blue Raiders will begin the final day of the Rome Invitational on Sunday at 9 a.m. CT.
Results
DOUBLES
10 a.m.
Bojarski/Lacides (TN) def. Crivei/Lora (MTSU), 7-6 (2)
Popowich/LaLance (MTSU) def. Kimhi/Doskocil (TN), 6-3
Vassard/Jacques (MTSU) def. Abarca/Itsusaki (TN), 6-3
11 a.m.
Renfrow/Weber (UGA) def. Vassard/Jacques (MTSU), 6-3
Popowich/LaLance (MTSU) def. Gonzalez/Sanders (UGA) 7-6 (5)
Vulpitta/Johnson (UGA) 6-3 def. Crivei/Lora (MTSU), 6-3
SINGLES
Eric Crivei (MTSU) def. Diego Duran (Miss State), 6-1, 7-5
Luigi Valleta (MSU) def. Alexandre Vassard (MTSU), 6-2, 6-4
Marshall Landry (MSU) def. Rich LaLance (MTSU), 6-3, 6-1
Nikolas Stoot (LSU) def. Houston Jacques (MTSU), 7-5, 6-4
Segundo Goity Zappico (MSU) def. Santiago Lora (MTSU), 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
Roberto Ferrer Guimares (MSU) def. John Popowich (MTSU), 6-7 (4), 6-0, 6-2
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with Middle Tennessee Men's Tennis on Instagram (mt_menstennis), X (MT_MensTennis), and Facebook (BlueRaiderMensTennis).
In doubles, John Popowich and Rich LaLance won both of their matchups, while Alexandre Vassard and Houston Jacques won their second doubles match of the tournament.
Eric Crivei picked up MTSU's lone singles match of the day with his straight-set victory late Saturday afternoon.
Crivei and Lora fell in a tiebreaker set to Tennessee's Alan Bojarski and Oscar Lacides, 7-6 (2).
Popowich and LaLance bested Orel Kimhi and Martin Doskocil, while Vassard and Jacques strolled past Adrien Abarca and Shion Itsusaki, both by a 6-3 scoreline.
Vassard and Jacques, along with Crivei and Lora, were handed defeats by the exact same scoreline against UGA's Noble Renfrow and James Weber and Gabriele Vulpitta and Cooper Johnson, respectively.
Popowich and LaLance edged out Eudald Gonzalez and Oliver Sanders in a tiebreaker set, winning 7-6 (5).
In singles, Crivei was the only Blue Raider to claim victory, defeating Mississippi State's Diego Duran in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5.
Middle Tennessee dropped the rest of its singles bouts against Mississippi State, with the exception of Jacques, who fell to LSU's Nikolas Stoot, 7-5, 6-4.
Against Luigi Valleta, Vassard was unable to claim a set, falling, 6-2, 6-4.
Rich LaLance was bested by Marshall Landry, 6-3, 6-1, while Santiago Lora could not come out on top against Segundo Goity Zapico, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Although he brought the match to a tiebreaker, Popowich narrowly fell to Roberto Ferrer Guima, 6-7 (4), 6-0, 6-2.
The Blue Raiders will begin the final day of the Rome Invitational on Sunday at 9 a.m. CT.
Results
DOUBLES
10 a.m.
Bojarski/Lacides (TN) def. Crivei/Lora (MTSU), 7-6 (2)
Popowich/LaLance (MTSU) def. Kimhi/Doskocil (TN), 6-3
Vassard/Jacques (MTSU) def. Abarca/Itsusaki (TN), 6-3
11 a.m.
Renfrow/Weber (UGA) def. Vassard/Jacques (MTSU), 6-3
Popowich/LaLance (MTSU) def. Gonzalez/Sanders (UGA) 7-6 (5)
Vulpitta/Johnson (UGA) 6-3 def. Crivei/Lora (MTSU), 6-3
SINGLES
Eric Crivei (MTSU) def. Diego Duran (Miss State), 6-1, 7-5
Luigi Valleta (MSU) def. Alexandre Vassard (MTSU), 6-2, 6-4
Marshall Landry (MSU) def. Rich LaLance (MTSU), 6-3, 6-1
Nikolas Stoot (LSU) def. Houston Jacques (MTSU), 7-5, 6-4
Segundo Goity Zappico (MSU) def. Santiago Lora (MTSU), 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
Roberto Ferrer Guimares (MSU) def. John Popowich (MTSU), 6-7 (4), 6-0, 6-2
Follow the Blue Raiders
Stay up to date with Middle Tennessee Men's Tennis on Instagram (mt_menstennis), X (MT_MensTennis), and Facebook (BlueRaiderMensTennis).
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
Tuesday, March 31
Sunday, March 29
Sunday, March 29
Friday, March 27
