Blue Raiders Drop 4-0 Decision at Washington

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee dropped a close doubles point and the first three completed singles matches, as the 34th-ranked Blue Raiders fell, 4-0 to 17th-ranked Washington Friday night at the Great Northwest Shootout in Seattle, Wash. Middle Tennessee split sets in two other matches and was up a set in the final match when it was stopped.

The Blue Raiders' Andreas Siljestrom won the first set of his singles match at No. 1 and Marco Born and Morgan Richard had both split sets and were just starting the third set. But Joao Paoliello dropped the deciding match at No. 6 after looking like he was also headed to a third set.

In doubles the Huskies lost the first match but won the final two, breaking serve for the victory at No. 3 and using an early break en route to a win at No. 2.

Middle Tennessee's 16th-ranked tandem of Born and Siljestrom defeated Andy Kuharszky and Alex Slovic, 8-6, at No. 1, but Washington's Daniel Chu and Derek Drabble evened the doubles with an 8-6 victory at No. 3, breaking in the final game against Paoliello and Marc Boiron.

At No. 2 UW's 35th-ranked Patrik Fischer and Mike Ricks got an early break and gave the Huskies the doubles point with an 8-5 triumph over Marc Rocafort and Morgan Richard.

In singles the Blue Raiders were quickly down 3-0, thanks to a 6-2, 6-3, victory for Kuharszky over Rocafort at No. 3 and a 6-3, 6-0, triumph for David Chu against Boiron at No. 5.

Born slugged out a 7-5 first-set win over Daniel Chu at No. 2 and Siljestrom, ranked 41st nationally in singles, fell behind a break early at 1-4 but came roaring back to take the first set over 98th-ranked Slovic, 7-5.

Paoliello dropped the first set 3-6, but stayed on serve for much of the second set until a late break by Fischer came the Huskies the victory.

Middle Tennessee continues play in the Great Northwest Shootout Saturday, facing 56th-ranked Texas Tech at Noon CT.

#17 Washington 4, Middle Tennessee 0
SINGLES
1. (41) Andreas Siljestrom (MT) led (98) Alex Slovic (UW), 7-5, 3-4
2. Marco Born (MT) led Daniel Chu (UW), 7-5, 4-6, 0-0
3. Andy Kuharszky (UW) def. Marc Rocafort (MT), 6-2, 6-3
4. Morgan Richard (MT) led Derek Drabble (UW), 6-7 (4), 6-0, 0-1
5. David Chu (UW) def. Marc Boiron (MT), 6-3, 6-0
6. Patrik Fischer (UW) def. Joao Paoliello (MT), 6-3, 6-4
Order of Finish: 3,5,6*

DOUBLES
1. (16) Born-Siljestrom (MT) def. Kuharszky-Slovic (UW), 8-6
2. (35) Fischer-Mike Ricks (UW) def. Rocafort-Richard (MT), 8-5
3. Daniel Chu-Drabble (UW) def. Boiron-Paoliello (MT), 8-6
Order of Finish: 1,3,2*

Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter @MTAthletics for continued updates.