The Murray State men's tennis team saw their season end Saturday with a 4-1 loss to Tennessee Tech in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament semifinals at the Larry Heflin Tennis Complex in Paducah, Ky.
After winning the doubles point yesterday in their round-one upset of no. 3 Jacksonville State, the no. 6 Racers did the same thing to Tech, the no. 2 seed.
MSU's top team of Ben Clos/Jorge Caetano won in the no. 1 slot 8-5 over Tech's Nick Stafford/JoshGirling. The Racers also saw Luka Millevic/Renaldo Domoney earn an 8-5 win over TTU's Alex Chen/Loyd Harris to secure the point.
However, the magic the Racers had the day before was not there in the semifinals singles.
The Racers's no. 1 and no. 2 singles players Clos and Caetano each went down in straight sets allowing TTU to take a 2-1 lead.
MSU's no. 5, Mason Johnson lost 6-3, 6-3 and no. 6, Jose Berardo went down 6-0, 6-3 and the Racers lost the match 4-1.
"When we won the doubles point, we had all the momentum," MSU head coach Mel Purcell said. "We were up early in some of the matches and put ourselves in a position to advance but we couldn't get it done."
"But my guys really raised their game here at the end of the season and I am of proud them," Purcell added. "I'm happy with the effort they gave and that's all a coach can ask for."
Ohio Valley Men's Tennis Tournament
Semifinals (2nd round)
(6 Seed) Murray State vs (2 Seed) Tennessee Tech
April 17, 2010
Singles
1. Alex Chen (TTU) def. Ben Clos (MUR) 6-1,6-3
2. Josh Girling (TTU) def. Jorge Caetano (MUR) 7-5, 6-3
3. Nick Stafford (TTU) vs. Luka Millevic (MUR) unfinished
4. Justin Kirstein (TTU) vs. Renaldo Domoney (MUR) unfinished
5. Arturo Ruiz Sanata (TTU) def. Mason Johnson (MUR) 6-3, 6-3
6. Oscar Pachon (TTU) def. Jose Berardo (MUR) 6-0, 6-3
Doubles
1. Clos/Caeteno (MUR) def. Stafford/Girling (TTU) 8-5
2. Millevic/Demoney def. Chen/Harris (TTU) 8-5
3. Sanata Ruiz/ Pachon (TTU) def. Johnson/Berardo (MUR) 8-3