Blue Raiders Open with Victory

Sophomore Morgan Richard picked up victories in both singles and doubles in Middle Tennessee's 5-2 victory over 55th-ranked Western Michigan on Sunday. (Bradley Lambert)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee's 31st-ranked men's tennis team won the doubles point and the first four completed singles outings, defeating 55th-ranked Western Michigan, 5-2, Sunday at the Racquet Club of Murfreesboro.

The Blue Raiders play again Sunday evening at 6 p.m. against 66th-ranked East Tennessee at the Racquet Club.

In doubles, Middle Tennessee picked up victories at Nos. 1 and 3 to get the first point of the match.

Seniors Andreas Siljestrom and Marco Born, ranked 16th nationally, defeated No. 21 Brady Crosby and Tim Bradshaw, 8-2, at No. 1, and Morgan Richard and Marc Rocafort won 8-2 as well at No. 3 over Alejandro Staub and Kevin Hayward. The Broncos' Bryan Norville and Alex Birchmeier won 8-4 at No. 2 over Joao Paoliello and Marc Boiron.

In singles Middle Tennessee won at the top four positions to clinch the match.

Born defeated Bradshaw at No. 2, 6-3, 6-4, before Rocafort picked up a 1-6, 6-3, 6-1, triumph over Birchmeier at No. 4. Richard won 7-6 (4), 7-5, at No. 3, and 41st-ranked Siljestrom defeated No. 52 Crosby, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-4, at No. 1.

Western Michigan's Hayward won 6-3, 3-6, 10-7, over Paoliello at No. 5, and WMU's Norville defeated Alex McCann, 8-1, at No. 6.

"It was good to get a win to start the season. The guys played a little nervous and tight, but I was proud to come out with a win," head coach Dale Short said. "We need to pull out some tight matches and we did that.

"It was good to see our seniors [Born and Siljestrom] leading the way. The freshmen [Paoliello, Rocafort] started off shaky, but played better in the second and third sets. It gives us some confidence going into [Sunday night]."

After Sunday evening's match, the Blue Raiders host 33rd-ranked Kentucky Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and then take on Chattanooga at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Both matches will take place at the Racquet Club of Murfreesboro.

#31 Middle Tennessee 5, #55 Western Michigan 2
SINGLES
1. (41) Andreas Siljestrom (MT) def. (52) Brady Crosby (WMU), 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-4
2. Marco Born (MT) def. Tim Bradshaw (WMU), 6-3, 6-4
3. Morgan Richard (MT) def. Milan Petercak (WMU), 7-6 (4), 7-5
4. Marc Rocafort (MT) def. Alex Birchmeier (WMU), 1-6, 6-3, 6-1
5. Kevin Hayward (WMU) def. Joao Paoliello (MT), 6-3, 3-6, 10-7
6. Bryan Norville (WMU) def. Alex McCann (MT), 8-1

DOUBLES
1. (16) Born-Siljestrom (MT) def. (21) Crosby-Bradshaw (WMU), 8-2
2. Norville-Birchmeier (WMU) def. Paoliello-Marc Boiron (MT), 8-4
3. Richard-Rocafort (MT) def. Alejandro Staub-Hayward (WMU), 8-2