Blue Raiders pick-up two wins

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Blue Raiders are perfect to begin the 2009 dual-match season after defeating Chattanooga and Tennessee Tech on Friday by scores of 7-0 and 6-1 respectively.

Middle Tennessee lost just one match on the day as newcomer Victor Melo played the No. 1 position. Melo began the day with a win after defeating Chattanooga's Peter Sauska 6-2, 6-3 but lost a three-set battle to TTU's Dean O'Brien 3-6, 6-3, 4-6.

Sophomore John Peers began the day fighting it out with Pavel Vostikov before taking the 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 (8) win. Peers then defeated TTU's Alex Chen in the second match 6-2, 6-1.

"I am really happy we got off to good start. The guys did what they were supposed to do which was take care of business," head coach David McNamara said. "I was happy across the board and thought we played pretty well overall. The competition is going to get tougher from here and I want to give them credit for taking care of business to open the season."

Half of the Blue Raiders starting line-up was composed of newcomers to the team with Peers, senior Morgan Richard and sophomore Richard Cowden rounding out the list.

Freshman Matthew Langley picked up two wins in his debut as a Blue Raider taking a 6-0, 6-3 win over UTC's Dakota Pate. Langley then won a three set match with Justin Kirstein of the Golden Eagles 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.

In doubles action, the Blue Raiders did not drop a match with Richard and Cowden, who had the best fall record, teaming up for two wins in the No. 3 position.

Peers teamed-up with senior Robert McKenzie to take No. 1 doubles wins over UTC's Sauska and Vostrikov 8-3 and TTU's James Crawford and Lloyd Harris 8-3.

The Blue Raiders will be back in action on Feb. 7 at 1 p.m. when it plays host to Northwestern at Nashboro Village in Nashville, Tenn.

Complete Results

Middle Tennessee 7, Chattanooga 0
Singles
1. Victor Melo (MT) def. Peter Sauska (UTC) 6-2, 6-3
2. John Peers (MT) def. Pavel Vostrikov (UTC) 6-3, 6-7(10-8)
3. Robert McKenzie (MT) def. Alexandru Butnarcuic (UTC) 6-5, 6-0
4. Morgan Richard (MT) def. R. van de Bovenkamp (UTC) 6-2, 6-1
5. Matthew Langley (MT) def. Dakota Pate (UTC) 6-0, 6-3
6. Richard Cowden (MT) def. Sam Parfitt (UTC) 6-2, 6-4

Doubles
1. John Peers/Robert McKenzie (MT) def. Peter Sauska/Pavel Vostrikov (UTC) 8-4
2. Matthew Langley/Victor Melo (MT) def. Alexandru Butnarcuic/Dakota Pate (UTC) 8-3
3. Morgan Richard/Richard Cowden (MT) def. R. van de Bovenkamp/Sam Parfitt (UTC) 8-4

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,4,1,5,2,6)

Middle Tennessee 6, Tennessee Tech 1

Singles
1. Dean O'Brien (TTU) def. Victor Melo (MT) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
2. John Peers (MT) def. Alex Chen (TTU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Robert McKenzie (MT) def. Josh Girling (TTU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Matthew Langley (MT) def. Justin Kirstein (TTU) 6-0, 4-6, 6-3
5. Morgan Richard (MT) def. Oscar Pachon (TTU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Richard Cowden (MT) def. Mario Gutierrez (TTU) 6-0, 7-5

Doubles

1. John Peers/Robert McKenzie (MT) def. James Crawford/Llyod Harris (TTU) 8-3
2. Victor Melo/Matthew Langley (MT) def. Justin Kirstein/Dean O'Brien (TTU) 8-5
3. Richard Cowden/Morgan Richard (MT) def. Josh Girling/Mario Gutierrez (TTU) 8-4

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (3,2,5,4,1,6)

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