Indiana men’s tennis won its first road game of the season in comeback fashion to beat Middle Tennessee State University on Friday in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Hoosiers improved to 6-0 with their first road victory of the season.
To start off doubles play, Indiana won on court No. 3 led by redshirt sophomore Facundo Yunis and freshman Braeden Gelletich. Yunis and Gelletich won 6-2 over Middle Tennesse State junior Shu Matsuoka and sophomore Jakub Kroslak to give Indiana the lead in doubles competition.
The Hoosiers won the double point on court No. 1 led by junior Sam Sherer and freshman Matteo Antonescu. Sherer and Antonescu defeated Middle Tennessee State freshman Kacper Szymkowiak and senior Rostislav Halfinger. Indiana took the 1-0 lead over Middle Tennessee State at the end of doubles play.
As the match advanced to singles play, Indiana fell behind quickly.
On court No. 2, junior Jip van Assendelft lost in straight sets to Szymkowiak. At the end of the match, Indiana and Middle Tennessee State were tied 1-1.
Middle Tennessee State took the lead on court No. 1, as Yunis fell short against Raider junior Karim Al-Amin in two out of three sets. By the end of the game on court No. 1, Indiana found itself trailing 2-1.
With the team in desperate need of a response, Gelletich came up big for the Hoosiers. On court No. 7, Gelletich beat Middle Tennessee State sophomore Igor Mandou Berranger. Indiana and Middle Tennessee State were tied 2-2 with only three matches remaining.
On court No. 5, Indiana’s Sherer lost to junior Ondrej Horak. Sherer lost two out of three sets, and the Hoosiers found themselves down 3-2 with the game hanging in the balance.
With their undefeated start to the year on the line, Hoosier junior Deacon Thomas defeated Kroslak 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-4. Then all eyes turned to court No. 4, where the score was tied 3-3.
On court No. 4, a battle was taking place between Indiana sophomore Ben Pomeranets and Matsouka. After a three-set dogfight between both players, Pomeranets won. He defeated Matsouka in the third set of a best-of-three to seal the 6-0 start for Indiana.
Indiana will be back in action against Drake University on 5 p.m. Feb. 14 in the IU Tennis Center in Bloomington.
