MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The No. 25 men’s tennis team traveled just up the road to Murfreesboro, Tenn. for their first road match of the season, and for the fifth-consecutive meeting, the `Dores walked away victorious by a score of 6-1.
The last time the Blue Raiders won two matches against VU dates back to Feb. 28, 2010.
“It was another good day for us,” said head coach Ian Duvenhage. “We did a good job of winning the doubles point. They had a huge crowd and I was very interested to see how our young guys would responded to them and the new facility… It was kind of like their inaugural big match.”
In doubles action, Baker Newman and Daniel Valent cruised though their match against Cordero/Reithmueller to earn an early 4-1 lead. Only allowing MTSU one additional game, the tandem secured their second career win together; 6-2.
With one win in the Commodore’s back pocket, it was down to courts one and two who were both tied at 4-all apiece. But it was Rhys Johnson and Cameron Klinger on one who gave VU the 1-0 advantage as they pulled out the 6-4 victory. Pen Binet and Ryan Smith were tied at 5-all on court two at the clinch.
In singles action, Vanderbilt used its close doubles matches as motivation to get out to an early lead, taking five first sets.
Klinger, a freshman, gave Vanderbilt the 2-0 lead as the Elk Grove, Calif. native defeated senior Robin Reithmuller 6-4, 6-3. No. 64, Valent, followed shortly and only allowed Zyhmantovich a total of three games in his powerful 6-1, 6-2 win on court one.
After edging Issa out of the first set, 6-4, Newman got an early lead in the second to cease any Blue Raider advancements. The sophomore officially clinched the 4-0 victory for VU and his second win at No. 3 by a score of 6-4, 6-1.
But it was both Johnson on court two and Smith on six that finished the job for the `Dores, as Johnson came out on top of his first set tiebreaker7-6(4), 6-3 and Smith in a third-set super tiebereaker at 6-4, 2-6, 1-0(7).
Vanderbilt’s lone loss came on court five, as Kris Yee rallied back after losing his first set 6-4 to force a third at 6-0. While the fight and determination were there, the senior fell to Ayed Cordero 6-3, 0-6, 6-3.
“There were a number of close first sets and we found a way to win four of the five close ones. There are still a lot of positives but also things we have to improve on. It’s going to get a lot harder from here on out and we take another big step when we play San Diego this Saturday. Danny (Valent) played extremely well, Jamie (Hunt) said, and as did Rhys (Johnson) so we’re moving in the right direction.”
Vanderbilt stays on the road, traveling next weekend to Durham, N.C. for the ITA Kickoff Weekend. The Dores will face-off against No. 13 Duke, No. 21 Cal and No. 22 San Diego. Winner advances to Team National Indoors in Charlottesville, Va.
Results:
Vanderbilt 6, Middle Tennessee 1
Singles competition:
- #64 Daniel Valent (VU) def. Dima Zyhmantovich (MT) 6-1, 6-2
- Rhys Johnson (VU) def. Gonzalo Morell (MT) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
- Baker Newman (VU) def. Gian Issa (MT) 6-4, 6-1
- Cameron Klinger (VU) def. Robin Riethmueller (MT) 6-4, 6-3
- Ayed Zatar Cordero (MT) def. Kris Yee (VU) 6-3, 0-6, 6-3
- Ryan Smith (VU) def. Miguel Negre (MT) 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10-7)
Doubles competition:
- Rhys Johnson/Cameron Klinger (VU) def. Dima Zyhmantovich/Gonzalo Morell (MT) 6-4
- Pen Binet/Ryan Smith (VU) vs. Gian Issa/Miguel Negre (MT) 5-5
- Daniel Valent/Baker Newman (VU) def. Ayed Zatar Cordero/Robin Riethmueller (MT) 6-2
Match Notes:
Vanderbilt 3-0
Middle Tennessee 1-1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (4,1,3,2,6,5)
Official: Ted Mason T-2:20 A-526
