Thursday, February 19, 2009

BRISTOL, Tenn. (Feb. 19, 2009) - After nearly upsetting No. 3 Georgia a week ago the ETSU men's tennis team fell to in-state rival Middle Tennessee State 4-1, Thursday afternoon inside the Country Club of Bristol, in Bristol, Tenn. With the loss ETSU falls to 1-4 on the season, while the Blue Raiders improve to 3-2 mark.

"We came out flat today," said head coach Yaser Zaatini. ‘I don't know if the guys really understood the seriousness of the match."

 MTSU took control early winning the doubles point by taking two out of the three doubles matches. The lone ETSU win came as freshman Robin Akser (Ornskoldsvik, Sweden) and sophomore Daniel Isaza (Medellin, Colombia) rallied to defeat Kyle Wishing and Alex McCann, 8-2.

"We lost a very important doubles point, but the biggest thing was how our team didn't step up and fight the entire match," said Zaatini. "MTSU played hard and deserved to win and unfortunately we didn't perform like we should have."

After the Blue Raiders took the doubles point and an early 1-0 lead, 11th-ranked senior Enrique Olivares (Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela) rallied to even things up a 1-1, after defeating Victor Melo, 6-1, 6-1. Unfortunately for the Bucs the Preseason Atlantic Sun Player of the Year would pick up the only singles win for ETSU on the day as sophomores Charles Bottoni (Bois Guillaume, France), Grega Teraz (Mojstrana, Slovenia) and Isaza all fell in straight sets giving MTSU the 4-1 victory.

"This was our first home contest and I think not playing actually on our home courts effected us this afternoon," said Zaatini. "But overall I take nothing away from MTSU. They are a great team and really took it to us today."

ETSU returns to action as they travel north to take on Minnesota, Feb. 28 in Minneapolis, Minn. 

Singles

1. #15 Enrique Olivares (ETSU) def. Victor Melo (MTSU) 6-1, 6-1
2. #111 Robert McKenzie (MTSU) def. Charles Bottoni (ETSU) 6-4, 6-1
3. #72 John Peers (MTSU) def. Grega Teraz (ETSU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Morgan Richard (MTSU) def. Daniel Isaza (ETSU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Sander Gille (ETSU) vs. Alex McCann (MTSU) 6-3, 0-1, unfinished
6. Alex Algren (ETSU) vs. Kyle Wishing (MTSU) 4-6, unfinished

Doubles
1. John Peers/Victor Melo (MTSU) def. Enrique Olivares/Alex Algren (ETSU) 9-7
2. Robert McKenzie/Morgan Richard (MTSU) def. Grega Teraz/Charles Bottoni (ETSU) 8-3
3. Daniel Isaza/Robin Akser (ETSU) def. Alex McCann/Kyle Wishing (MTSU) 8-2

Match Notes:
Middle Tennessee 3-2
East Tennessee State 1-4; National ranking #36
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,2,3,4)

For more information on the ETSU men's tennis program please visit www.ETSUBUCS.com.