MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee's men's tennis team took third place in the Sun Belt Shootout as it defeated Arkansas-Little Rock 4-3.
With the match tied at 3 freshman John Peers won his singles match to clinch the win for the Blue Raiders. Peers who lost his doubles match earlier in the day rebounded to take a 7-6 (2), 5-7, 7-5 win over Rain Roigas.
Middle Tennessee lost the doubles match to begin play as the Trojans swept the point. Edson Abrao and Roigas defeated Peers and freshman Richard Cowden 8-5.
UALR then sealed the point as sophomore Marc Rocafort and junior Morgan Richard fell 9-7 to Marko Ballok and Igor Nikitin.
The Blue Raiders rebounded in singles play as sophomore Joao Paoliello defeated Dorian Sovic 6-1, 6-2 to tie the match at 1. Then Rocafort put Middle Tennessee up by one as he defeated German Perez 6-3, 6-4 in No. 1 singles.
With a 2-1 lead, freshman Alex McCann won his match over Nikitin 6-3, 6-1 to put the Blue Raiders up by two.
Then they hit a road block as Cowden and Richard each lost their matches as UALR tied the score at 3. Cowden fell 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 to Abrao while Richard lost his match to Ballok 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
"It was a great effort by the guys. It is the first time we have lost the doubles point and turned around to win the match this season. It is also the first time we have won every first set in singles," head coach David McNamara said. "After tough match last night guys responded well. Hopefully we can take care of Memphis next week and got to the conference tournament with some confidence."
Middle Tennessee will be back in action on Saturday, April 12 when it travels to Memphis, Tenn., to face Memphis.
Singles
1. Marc Rocafort (MT) def. German Perez (UALR) 6-3, 6-4
2. John Peers (MT) def. Rain Roigas (UALR) 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 7-5
3. Edson Abrao (UALR) def. Richard Cowden (MT) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
4. Marko Ballok (UALR) def. Morgan Richard (MT) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
5. Joao Paoliello (MT) def. Dorian Sovic (UALR) 6-1, 6-2
6. Alex McCann (MT) def. Igor Nikitin (UALR) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles
1. Edson Abrao/Rain Roigas (UALR) def. John Peers/Richard Cowden (MT) 8-5
2. Marko Ballok/Igor Nikitin (UALR) def. Marc Rocafort/Morgan Richard (MT) 9-7
3. Chris Nowak/Joao Paoliello (MT) vs. German Perez/Juan Carlos Nunez (UALR) 7-7, unfinished
Match Notes:
Middle Tennessee 8-13
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (5,1,6,3,4,2)
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