Men's Tennis Falls, 5-2

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee won all three doubles match and the first completed singles match but dropped the final five singles outings, including a trio in three sets, as the 43rd-ranked Blue Raiders dropped a 5-2 decision to 48th-ranked Vanderbilt on a cold and windy Sunday afternoon at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center.

The match was the first outdoors this season for Middle Tennessee (7-4), while the Commodores avenged a loss to the Blue Raiders last season in Nashville.

Middle Tennessee started strong, taking all three doubles matches and the first point of the match.

Seniors Marco Born and Andreas Siljestrom, ranked second nationally, defeated Evan Dufaux and Ryan Preston, 8-5, at No. 1, before Marc Boiron and Joao Paoliello gave the Blue Raiders the doubles point with an 8-5 triumph over Andy Mack and Jorgan Magarik at No. 2. Middle Tennessee's Morgan Richard and Marc Rocafort also won 9-7 in a tiebreaker at No. 3 over Nic Cromydas and Vijay Paul.

In singles, the Blue Raiders won the first match before Vanderbilt took over, claiming the remaining five to post the team victory.

Born, ranked 100th nationally in singles, gave Middle Tennessee a 2-0 lead with a 6-1, 6-2, drubbing of Dufaux at No. 2.

But the Commodores answered with straight-set victories at Nos. 4 and 5. Paul defeated Richard, 7-5, 6-2, at No. 4, and Nathan Sachs won 6-0, 6-4, over Boiron at No. 5.

Cromydas put Vanderbilt ahead for good with a 0-6, 6-0, 6-4, triumph over 100th-ranked Rocafort at No. 3.

The final two matches were still on the court more than four hours after the start of the match.

Mack defeated Paoliello for the deciding point, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, before 70th-ranked Preston won 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, over 36th-ranked Siljestrom at No. 1.

Middle Tennessee now heads to the HEB Invitational in Corpus Christi, Texas, an eight-team event that runs March 2-4.

#48 Vanderbilt 5, #43 Middle Tennessee 2
SINGLES
1. (70) Ryan Preston (VU) def. (36) Andreas Siljestrom (MT) 7-5, 6-7, 7-5
2. (100) Marco Born (MT) def. def. Evan Dufaux (VU), 6-1, 6-2
3. Nick Cromydas (VU) def. (100) Marc Rocafort (MT), 0-6, 6-0, 6-4
4. Vijay Paul (VU) def. Morgan Richard (MT), 7-5, 6-2
5. Nathan Sachs (VU) def. Marc Boiron (MT), 6-0, 6-4
6. Andy Mack (VU) def. Joao Paoliello (MT), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 2,5,4,3,6*,1

DOUBLES
1. (2) Siljestrom-Born (MT) def. Dufaux-Preston (VU), 8-5
2. Boiron-Paoliello (MT) def. Mack-Jordan Magarik (VU), 8-5
3. Richard-Rocafort (MT) def. Cromydas-Paul (VU), 7-6 (7)
Order of Finish: 1,2*,3

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