The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Middle Tenn St
Rebel Netters Defeat Middle Tennessee, 4-3
2/11/2001 | Men's Tennis
Feb. 11, 2001
OXFORD, Miss. - The No. 10 nationally-ranked Ole Miss men's tennis team followed up Thursday's huge win over Mississippi State with another exciting victory, as they defeated Middle Tennessee 4-3, Sunday afternoon at the Gillom Sports Center.
The Rebels (4-0) claimed the crucial doubles point and that proved to be the difference in the win. Ole Miss won at No. 1 doubles easily, and then Middle Tennessee took the No. 3 position. Alex Hartman and Patrick Chucri defeated Michael Staniak and Daniel Klemetz in a tiebreaker, 9-8(4) to clinch the point.
"The doubles point was huge today," assistant coach Mark Beyers said. "We are extremely happy to come away with a win against a good Middle Tennessee team. This win will give us a lot of confidence going into the upcoming National Team Indoor Championships."
Rebel Kristofer Stahlberg made it 2-0 with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Oliver Foreman at No. 3 singles. Senior James Shortall gave Ole Miss a 3-0 lead when he rallied to beat Daniel Klemetz 0-6, 6-4, 6-3 at the top spot.
Middle Tennessee's Robert Gustafsson came back to beat Hartman, 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-3 at No. 2 singles to give the Blue Raiders their first point of the day. Then the match began to get even more exciting with the bottom three courts remaining.
On court six, MTSU's Mark Pellerin downed Rebel Conor Casey 6-2, 6-1 to make it 3-2. Freshman Paul Ciorascu lost the first set to Michael Staniak, 6-3, at No. 4 singles, but came back to win an exciting tiebreaker, 7-6(9) in the second set.
With Ciorascu and Staniak in a tight battle in the third set, sophomore Patrick Chucri, was locked in a hard-fought match against the Blue Raider's Trevor Short. Up a set and 4-3, Chucri broke to go ahead 5-3, and served out for a 7-5, 6-3 win that clinched the Rebel victory. Staniak would go on to win the third set against Ciorascu, 6-4, for the final 4-3 score.
The Rebels will now head out West for the USTA/ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Seattle, Wash. The tournament, which begins Thursday, will feature 16 of the nation's top teams. Ole Miss will face TCU in the first round.
#10 OLE MISS 4 - #40 MTSU 3
SINGLES
#1 James Shortall (OM) def. Daniel Klemetz (MTSU) 0-6, 6-4, 6-3
#2 Robert Gustafsson (MTSU) def. Alex Hartman (OM) 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-3
#3 Kristofer Stahlberg (OM) def. Oliver Foreman (MTSU) 6-4, 7-5
#4 Michael Staniak (MTSU) def. Paul Ciorascu (OM) 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-4
#5 Patrick Chucri (OM) def. Trevor Short (MTSU) 7-5, 6-3
#6 Mark Pellerin (MTSU) def. Conor Casey (OM) 6-2, 6-1
DOUBLES
#1 Shortall-Stahlberg (OM) def. Gustafsson-Foreman (MTSU) 8-2
#2 Hartman-Chucri (OM) def. Staniak-Klemetz (MTSU) 9-8(4)
#3 Short-Pellerin (MTSU) def. Ciorascu-Casey (OM) 8-5
