MT wraps up Dale Short Shootout with hard-fought performances

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Blue Raider men's tennis team wrapped up the Dale Short Shootout on Sunday with singles matches against Memphis at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center.

Ben Davis bounced back from a 2-6 loss in the opening set with 6-3, 6-3 performances to earn the victory over Joe Salisbury in the No. 1 slot.

"I was impressed with the way our guys battled," head coach Jimmy Borendame said. "I thought the freshmen were especially tough today. Cameron (Dickerson) and Forrest (Edwards) both showed a lot of poise in the third set despite not getting the outcome we hoped for."

Dickerson dropped the first set to Cedric DeZutter, 2-6, before battling back to claim a 6-3 win in the second set. The two went to the wire in the third, with DeZutter edging Dickerson, 7-6, in the end. Edwards won his first set, 7-6, over Leon Nasemann, then dropped two hard-fought sets, 3-6, 5-7.

Matthew Langley (1-6, 5-7), Marlon Brand (4-6, 0-6) and Dimitri Pippos (1-6, 2-6) also suffered defeats on Sunday.

Three Blue Raiders will head to the 2011 ITA Men's All-American Championships beginning this weekend in Tulsa, Okla. Davis was selected for qualifying singles and will join partner Ettore Zito for qualifying doubles. Zito and Langley also will participate in the prequalifying singles. The tournament runs Oct. 1-9.

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