Murfreesboro, Tenn.?No. 31 Kentucky dropped a 4-3, match to No. 43 Middle Tennessee state this afternoon in men?s tennis action at the Racquet Club in Murfreesboro, Tenn. UK sophomore Bruno Agostinelli, expected to be out of the lineup for several weeks made his debut at No. 1 doubles and singles.
The Mustangs opened the match taking the doubles point. Kentucky?s duo of senior Peter Bjork and junior Will Ward opened doubles play with a win over Andreas Siljestrom and Morgan Richard, 8-4 to give the visitors a leg up in doubles action. Middle Tennessee fired back with wins at No. 1 and No. 3 to take the opening point.
Ward picked up his second win of the day, as he was the first UK player to register a victory at No. 2 singles, when an injured Born retired after falling behind 5-0 in the first set. No. 89 Agostinelli opened the season in singles play falling to No. 41 Siljestrom in straight-sets, 6-2, 6-2. With the conclusion of two singles matches, the home team held a 2-1 advantage.
Kentucky roared back as Bjork and junior Marcus Sundh gave the visiting team a 3-2 edge. Bjork defeated Marc Rocafort at No. 3 in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. Sundh only needed two sets to overcome Richard, 6-2, 6-3 at No. 4.
The Mustangs evened the score at three when Marc Boiron downed sophomore Shane Collins in a three-set thriller. Collins handedly took the opening set 6-1, before Boiron used a 6-3 win in the second and a 7-5 victory in the third.
The match then was decided at the sixth and final singles position, where UK freshman Jorge Jorge fell for the first time in the Blue and White. Joao Paoliello claimed the match for the home standing squad with a 6-1, 6-2 decision.
Kentucky (2-1, 0-0) returns home on Friday to face the No. 2 ranked Baylor Bears at 6 p.m. at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.
#43 Middle Tennessee 4, #31 Kentucky 3
SINGLES
1. (41) Andreas Siljestrom (MT) def. (89) Bruno Agostinelli (UK), 6-2, 6-2
2. Will Ward (UK) def. Marco Born (MT), 5-0, retired
3. Peter Bjork (UK) def. Marc Rocafort (MT), 6-2, 6-2
4. Marcus Sundh (UK) def. Morgan Richard (MT), 6-2, 6-3
5. Marc Boiron (MT) def. Shane Collins (UK), 1-6, 6-3, 7-5
6. Joao Paoliello (MT) def. Jorge Jorge (UK), 6-1, 6-2
Order of Finish: 2,1,4,3,5,6
DOUBLES
1. Born-Rocafort (MT) def. Agostinelli-Kenny Hodge (UK), 9-8 (6)
2. Bjork-Ward (UK) def. Siljestrom-Richard (UK), 8-4
3. Boiron-Paoliello (MT) def. Sundh-Collins (UK), 8-6
Order of Finish: 2,1,3
