April 10, 2010

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Alex McCann's three-set victory at No. 6 singles sent the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders past the Memphis Tigers, 4-3, on Friday evening at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center in Murfreesboro, Tenn. With the loss, the Tigers fall to 9-10 on the season.

McCann, a senior for the Blue Raiders from Zanesville, Ohio, took the first set over Michael Gaerthoeffner in a tiebreaker 7-6 (8-6). The Memphis netter took the second set from his opponent but McCann came back to take the third set and the match. With the loss, Gaerthoeffner falls to 12-7 on the year. The native of Rheine, Germany, continues to lead the U of M in singles wins on the season.

Middle Tennessee came out from the onset in the match and took a 1-0 lead by sweeping the doubles matches against the Tigers.

At No. 1 doubles, John Peers and Matthew Langley of MTSU upended Jordan Smith and David Henry, 8-4. The Tiger pair falls to 13-4 at No. 1 doubles on the 2010 season.

At the No. 2 spot, John Taylor and Michael Janz of Memphis were defeated by Richard Cowden and Shaun Waters, 8-6. Taylor and Janz are 6-4 in doubles on the year.

The match at No. 3 doubles was called due to the doubles was called due to the doubles point having already been secured by the Blue Raiders.

In singles, Henry, a sophomore from Signal Mountain, Tenn., picked up a win by default over Cowden of MTSU at the No. 2 slot. Henry improves to 9-9 in his second season in the Bluff City.

Ramsay, a senior from Chattanooga, Tenn., won in three sets, 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-4, against Langley. Ramsay improves to 9-8 in his senior season for the Tigers.

Taylor picked up another singles win for Memphis, 6-4, 6-3, at the No. 5 spot over Wishing. Taylor is 10-4 on the year in singles.

The Memphis Tigers will wrap up the weekend in Murfressboro with two more matches. Memphis will face Chattanooga on Saturday at 1 p.m., and North Florida on Sunday at 10 a.m.

Middle Tennessee 4, Memphis 3
Buck Bouldin Tennis Center
April 9, 2010
Singles
No. 1- John Peers (MTSU) def. Jordan Smith (MEM), 6-3, 6-3
No. 2- David Henry (MEM) def. Richard Cowden (MTSU), 4-1, def.
No. 3- Charlie Ramsay (MEM) def. Matthew Langley (MTSU), 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-4
No. 4- Shaun Waters (MTSU) def. Michael Janz (MEM), 7-6(4), 6-4
No. 5- John Taylor (MEM) def. Kyle Wishing (MTSU), 6-4, 6-3
No. 6- Alex McCann (MTSU) def. Michael Gaerthoeffner (MEM), 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1- Peers/Langley (MTSU) def. Smith/Henry (MEM), 8-4
No. 2- Cowden/Waters (MTSU) def. Janz/Taylor (MEM), 8-6
No. 3- McCann/Wishing (MTSU) vs. Ramsay/Heflin (MEM), dnf