Blue Raiders fall in tournament finale to No. 61 South Alabama

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The No. 63 Middle Tennessee men’s tennis team closed out the HEB Tournament of Champions with a 4-2 defeat against No. 61 South Alabama on Saturday morning at the HEB Tennis Center. Dimitri Pippos and Forrest Edwards each picked up singles victories on the day.

Yannick Born and Marlon Brand teamed for an 8-6 doubles victory, but the Jaguars (7-3) clinched the doubles point with 8-3 and 8-5 victories from the No. 2 and 3 spots, respectively.

The Blue Raiders (5-5) battled through singles competition with Pippos earning a 7-6, 6-1 win in the four-hole and Edwards capturing a 6-2, 6-1 win from the five-spot. Matthew Langley took Alex Bernard to three sets before falling, 6-4, 1-6, 6-0.

Christoph Lang suffered a 6-2, 6-4 setback playing in the No. 1 slot for the first time, while Yannick Born fell, 6-4, 6-3 in the six-hole.

MT continues the roadtrip with a match at No. 67 UT-San Antonio on Tuesday at 2 p.m. CT.

#61 South Alabama 4, #63 Middle Tennessee 2
Singles competition
1. Romain Bocaert (USA) def. Christoph Lang (MT) 6-2, 6-4
2. Alex Bernard (USA) def. Matthew Langley (MT) 6-4, 1-6, 6-0
3. Daniel Leitner (USA) vs. Ettore Zito (MT) 6-2, 2-6, 2-1, unfinished
4. Dimitri Pippos (MT) def. Cody Hall (USA) 7-6, 6-1
5. Forrest Edwards (MT) def. Blake Gregor (USA) 6-2, 6-1
6. Dauw Kruger (USA) def. Yannick Born (MT) 6-4, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Yannick Born/Marlon Brand (MT) def. Romain Bocaert/Alex Bernard (USA) 8-6
2. Christian Kuehne/Hanno Bartsch (USA) def. Ben Davis/Christoph Lang (MT) 8-3
3. Daniel Leitner/Cody Hall (USA) def. Ettore Zito/Matthew Langley (MT) 8-5

Match Notes
Middle Tennessee 5-4; National ranking #63
South Alabama 7-3; National ranking #61

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