TAMPA, Fla. — No. 37 Middle Tennessee (15-5) fell 5-2 to South Florida (4-11) Saturday afternoon at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts. 

South Florida claimed the doubles point to open the match. Toto Llanes and James Newton defeated Eric Crivei and Jonasz Dziopak 6-2 on court two, while Timeo Gaillard and Elijah Cham secured the point with a 6-2 win over junior Birtan Duran and freshman Antoine Mayoral on court three. 

 The match on court one between Karim Al-Amin and Ondrej Horak and Hugo Car and Ettore Danesi were left unfinished with South Florida leading 5-4. 

In singles play, South Florida extended its lead early. Hugo Car defeated Horak 6-3, 6-4 on court one, and Stepan Mruzek followed with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Duran at court three. 

Middle Tennessee responded with a pair of singles wins. Karim Al-Amin earned the Blue Raiders’ first point with a 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 win over Elijah Cham on court two. Eric Crivei added another point for MTSU, rallying past Toto Llanes 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 on court six 

South Florida sealed the match with wins on courts five and four. Verdese defeated senior Freddy Murray 7-5, 6-4 on court five, and Agustin Cuellar edged Dziopak in a three-set battle, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), on court four to secure the 5-2 final score. 

 BOX SCORE 
USF 5, MTSU 2
Doubles Results 
 2. Toto Llanes / James Newton (USF) def. Eric Crivei / Jonasz Dziopak (MTSU), 6-2  

3. Timeo Gaillard / Elijah Cham (USF) def. Birtan Duran / Antoine Mayoral (MTSU), 6-2 

1. Hugo Car / Ettore Danesi (USF) vs. Karim Al-Amin / Ondrej Horak (MTSU), unfinished (5-4) 

Singles Results 
1.Hugo Car (USF) def. Ondrej Horak (MTSU), 6-3, 6-4 
2. Karim Al-Amin (MTSU) def. Elijah Cham (USF), 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 
3. Stepan Mruzek (USF) def. Birtan Duran (MTSU), 6-4, 6-3 
4. Agustin Cuellar (USF) def. Jonasz Dziopak (MTSU), 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6) 
5. Gughi Verdese (USF) def. Freddy Murray (MTSU), 7-5, 6-4 
6. Eric Crivei (MTSU) def. Toto Llanes (USF), 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 

Order of Finish: 
Singles: 1, 3, 2, 5, 6, 4  
Doubles:  3, 2  

UP NEXT:
Middle Tennessee will host Chicago State on Monday, March 16. 

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