Men's Tennis Sweeps Belmont

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee won both completed doubles matches and all six singles outings, defeating Belmont, 7-0, Saturday night in the final home match of the season for the Blue Raiders at the Racquet Club of Murfreesboro.

Middle Tennessee (13-11) won its fourth straight match overall and will head into next week's Sun Belt Championships as probably the No. 2 seed in the eight-team tournament.

The Blue Raiders won both completed doubles matches, posting victories at Nos. 1 and 3.

Sophomore Morgan Richard and freshman Marc Rocafort defeated Zach Zola and Felipe Abreu, 8-2, at No. 3, before seniors Marco Born and Andreas Siljestrom, ranked fourth nationally, won 8-4 at No. 1 over Fausto Rocha and Javier Rodriguez.

In singles Middle Tennessee won the top four matches in straight sets and played a pro set in the final two matches.

Richard defeated Abreu, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 4 and 87th-ranked Siljestrom won 6-1, 6-0, over Alex Gillott at No. 1. Rocafort posted the deciding victory, claiming a 6-0, 6-1, triumph against Rocha at No. 3, while 118th-ranked Born defeated Rodriguez, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 2.

Freshman Joao Paoliello won, 8-4, over Gesto at No. 5 and freshman Alex McCann defeated Zola, 8-6, at No. 6.

The Blue Raiders will next play in the SBC Tournament, April 20-22, in Denton, Texas.

Middle Tennessee 7, Belmont 0
SINGLES
1. (87) Andreas Siljestrom (MT) def. Alex Gillott (BEL), 6-1, 6-0
2. (118) Marco Born (MT) def. Javier Rodriguez (BEL), 6-4, 6-3
3. Marc Rocafort (MT) def. Fausto Rocha (BEL), 6-0, 6-1
4. Morgan Richard (MT) def. Felipe Abreu (BEL), 6-0, 6-0
5. Joao Paoliello (MT) def. Ignacio Gesto (BEL), 8-4
6. Alex McCann (MT) def. Zach Zola (BEL), 8-6
Order of finish: 4,1,3*,2,5,6

DOUBLES
1. (4) Siljestrom-Born (MT) def. Rocha-Rodriguez (BEL), 8-4
2. Boiron-Paoliello (MT) vs. Gillott-Gesto (BEL), DNF
3. Richard-Rocafort (MT) def. Zola-Abreu (BEL), 8-2
Order of finish: 3,1*

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