Raiders Come Back with 5-2 Victory

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee won the doubles point and the first three completed singles outings, defeating Air Force, 5-2, Saturday morning in extremely windy conditions at the McLeod Tennis Center in Lubbock, Texas.

The Blue Raiders (4-5) overcame 50-60 mile-per-hour winds and flying mud in Lubbock.

In doubles Ann-Kristin Siljestrom and Marlene Chemin won the deciding doubles match at No. 2.

Blue Raiders Hala Sufi and Claudia Szabo defeated Erika Shortridge and Lauren Wilson, 8-3, but AFA's Kelly Morgan and Jennifer Walters came back with an 8-3 triumph at No. 3 over Pooja Kommireddi and Stephanie Parkison.

Siljestrom-Chemin clinched the doubles point with an 8-4 victory over Christine Abayan and Meghan Kiser.

In singles the Blue Raiders won four matches, including the first three completed outings.

Sufi, ranked 53rd nationally in singles, defeated Abayan, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 1, before Kommireddi posted a 6-3, 6-2, triumph over Erlyn Rudico at No. 6. Parkison clinched the team victory with a 6-4, 6-4, victory against Kiser at No. 4.

AFA's Morgan won 6-4, 6-3, over Szabo at No. 5, and Wilson outlasted Siljestrom at No. 2, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. Chemin's victory at No. 3 was the final point for the Blue Raiders, a 6-0, 5-7, 6-4, decision against Walters.

"This was a good character test for our team with such tough conditions," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "It was about who wanted it more. There was no game plan, just about who could keep one more ball in play."

Middle Tennessee travels to Huntingdon, W.V., to face Marshall and Penn State next weekend.

Middle Tennessee 5, Air Force 2
SINGLES
1. (53) Hala Sufi (MT) def. Christine Abayan (AFA), 6-2, 6-0
2. Lauren Wilson (AFA) def. Ann-Kristin Siljestrom (MT), 2-6, 6-4, 7-5
3. Marlene Chemin (MT) def. Jennifer Walters (AFA), 6-0, 5-7, 6-4
4. Stephanie Parkison (MT) def. Meghan Kiser (AFA), 6-4, 6-4
5. Kelly Morgan (AFA) def. Claudia Szabo (MT), 6-4, 6-3
6. Pooja Kommireddi (MT) def. Erlyn Rudico (AFA), 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 1,6,4*,5,2,3

DOUBLES
1. Sufi-Szabo (MT) def. Erika Shortridge-Wilson (AFA), 8-3
2. Siljestrom-Chemin (MT) def. Kiser-Abayan (AFA), 8-4
3. Morgan-Walters (AFA) def. Kommireddi-Parkison (MT), 8-3
Order of Finish: 1,3,2*

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