Men's Tennis Drops 4-2 Decision

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee's 34th-ranked men's tennis team lost the doubles point and dropped three singles matches in straight sets, falling 4-2 to 42nd-ranked William & Mary Saturday morning at the Blue-Gray National Tennis Classic in Montgomery, Ala.

The Blue Raiders (9-8) lost their second match in three days at the national tournament.

William & Mary jumped out early by winning doubles matches at Nos. 2 and 3.

Dominic Pagon and Kavi Sud defeated Marc Boiron and Joao Paoliello, 8-3, at No. 3, before Colin O-Brien and Richard Wardell won 8-6 over Marc Rocafort and Morgan Richard at No. 2, giving the Tribe an early 1-0 lead in the match.

All five of the completed singles matches were in straight sets and only one, at No. 2 between O'Brien and Marco Born, was close.

Alexander Zuck defeated Boiron, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 5 and Wardell won 6-2, 6-3, over Paoliello at No. 6. But Middle Tennessee came back with two victories to pull within 3-2.

Rocafort, ranked 103rd nationally in singles, defeated Keziel Juneau, 6-4, 6-2, at No. 3 and Richard won 6-3, 6-2, over Marwan Ramadan at No. 4.

O'Brien, ranked 79th nationally, and 88th-ranked Born was the deciding match, with the Tribe's O'Brien prevailing, 6-4, 7-5.

Middle Tennessee will get an opportunity to take on William & Mary again in just six days, facing the Tribe in the Blue Raiders next match. The teams square off on March 23 at 9 a.m. at the Rice Invitational in Houston, Texas.

#42 William & Mary 4, #34 Middle Tennessee 2
SINGLES
12. (62) Andreas Siljestrom (MT) led (114) Alex Cojanu (WM), 7-5, 3-4, DNF
2. (79) Colin O'Brien (WM) def. (88) Marco Born (MT), 6-4, 7-5
3. (103) Marc Rocafort (MT) def. Keziel Juneau (WM), 6-4, 6-2
4. Morgan Richard (MT) def. Marwan Ramadan (WM), 6-3, 6-2
5. Alexander Zuck (WM) def. Marc Boiron (MT), 6-1, 6-1
6. Richard Wardell (WM) def. Joao Paoliello (MT), 6-2, 6-3
Order of Finish: 5,4,6,3,2*

DOUBLES
1. (4) Born-Siljestrom (MT) led (25) Cojanu-Juneau (WM), 7-6, DNF
2. O'Brien-Wardell (WM) def. Rocafort-Richard (MT), 8-6
3. Dominic Pagon-Kavi Sud (WM) def. Boiron-Paoliello (MT), 8-3
Order of Finish: 3,2*

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