After winning the doubles point, the Ball State University men's tennis team had the momentum it needed to pull off an upset victory, but it did not happen as Michigan State University took five of the six singles matches for a 5-2 victory Saturday.
Ball State went on to defeat Valparaiso University 7-0 in the night cap.
"Sometimes it's a big lift to win the doubles point and sometimes it works against you," coach Bill Richards said. "I don't know what happened today. We won the doubles point and thought that would give us a boost, but we seemed to die in singles."
Freshmen Cliff Morrison was the only Cardinal to win in singles against Michigan State with 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory at No. 6 singles.
Sophomore Eduardo Pavia built a 3-0 lead in his first set of his No 1. singles match before dropping the match in straight sets 6-7, 2-6. Seniors Jorge Rodriguez and Jose Perdomo had early leads in their singles matches as well before losing in straight sets.
Freshman Andres Monroy split the first two sets 7-5, 2-6, in No. 3 singles but lost in the final set 6-1. Sophomore Shaun Bussert lost in straight sets, giving the Spartans their fifth point.
"Every guy had a chance to come away with a point, and we only got one win," Richards said. "We have to be tougher. We got up in four singles matches early and couldn't sustain. It's disappointing right now."
The Cardinals won two of the three doubles matches - the first time they won the doubles point against a Big Ten team this season. Perdomo and Rodriguez won in No. 1 doubles 9-7. The Cardinals took No. 3 doubles as freshmen Zane Smith teamed up with Bussert came away with an 8-6 victory.
"It's a seven point match, and if you don't get four points, then doubles ends up being one point trying to get four," Richards said.
Against Valparaiso, the Cardinals won all six singles matches with five of them in straight sets. The one loss the Cardinals had with the Crusaders was No. 1 doubles as Pavia and Monroy lost 9-7. The loss was rendered meaningless with Cardinal victories in the other two doubles matches, giving Ball State the point.
Ball State moved to 5-4 on the season after Saturday's matches with all four losses coming to Big Ten teams. Michigan State improved to 9-1 while Valparaiso dropped to 1-3.
The Cardinals have their fifth and final chance of the season to take down a Big Ten team Sunday as Purdue University comes to Muncie.
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