CORPUS CHRISTI -- The No. 65 BYU men’s tennis team closed out the HEB Invitational with a 4-1 loss to No. 53 Middle Tennessee. With the loss, the Cougars fall to 8-6 while Middle Tennessee improves to 7-6.
The Blue Raiders earned the early advantage after winning two pairs matches to lock up the doubles point. The Cougars won 8-1 at the No. 3 position but lost by the same score at the No. 1 position. MTSU’s Robert McKenzie and Morgan Richard handed Daniel Hwang and Cassidy Mears their first doubles loss of the season on court two to win the point.
Trouble continued for the Cougars in singles play as Middle Tennessee easily secured wins on courts one and two. Richard clinched the match for the Blue Raiders with his defeat of freshman Georgy Batrakov at No. 4.
Mears earned BYU's lone point, quickly defeating his MTSU opponent 6-2, 6-2 on court five. Both Roman Warias and Travis Fillmore trailed in their respective matches when play was suspended.
BYU will return to action next week against No. 27 Boise State in Idaho.
Match Results
#53 Middle Tennessee- 4
#65 Brigham Young- 1
Singles
1. Robert McKenzie (MT) def. Evan Urbina (BYU) 6-4, 6-2
2. John Peers (MT) def. Thomas Shubert (BYU) 6-4, 6-2
3. Victor Melo (MT) vs. Roman Warias (BYU) 6-3, 4-3, unfinished
4. Morgan Richard (MT) def. Georgy Batrakov (BYU) 6-0, 6-1
5. Cassidy Mears (BYU) def. Kyle Wishing (MT) 6-2, 6-2
6. Alex McCann (MT) vs. Travis Fillmore (BYU) 3-6, 2-3, unfinished
Doubles
1. John Peers/Victor Melo (MT) def. Evan Urbina/A.J. Young (BYU) 8-1
2. Robert McKenzie/Morgan Richard (MT) def. Cassidy Mears/Daniel Hwang (BYU) 9-7
3. Thomas Shubert/Travis Fillmore (BYU) def. Kyle Wishing/Alex McCann (MT) 8-1