It was the closest match of the year and Ball State University men's tennis team had a chance to take down the University of Memphis on a neutral court. With 3-0 lead, Ball State needed to win one of the final four singles matches for the victory.
The four remaining singles matches went to Memphis.
The 4-3 four loss to Memphis was another missed chance at a defeating a quality team.
Ball State broke out to an early lead against Memphis. The Cardinals won a doubles point as sophomore Eduardo Pavia, teamed-up with senior Jorge Rodriguez, won No. 1 doubles 9-7. Senior Jose Perdomo with freshman Zane Smith needed a tie-breaker in No. 2 doubles but won the match 9-8 (8-6) for Ball State's first point of the invitational. Pavia then pulled off an upset at No. 1 singles defeating Memphis's Jorge Vazquez 6-2, 6-4. Vazquez is nationally ranked as the No. 82 singles player in the nation.
"It feels good," Pavia said. "It improves my confidence. If I fight I can compete with anybody."
Perdomo won at No. 2 singles 6-3, 6-2 giving Ball State a 3-0 lead.
The Cardinals needed one more point, but freshman Cliff Morrison along with senior Jorge Rodriguez could not seal the win.
In the No. 5 singles spot, Morrison lost in three games after coming back from a four-point deficit to win the second game.
"He expended so much energy coming back he ran out of gas in the third set," coach Bill Richards said. "We played well but couldn't get those close matches to go our way."
Morrison was the only Cardinal out of the final four matches to win a set. Rodriguez was defeated in No. 4 singles 5-7, 7-6. Freshman Andres Monroy and sophomore Shaun Bussert both lost in straight sets.
After beating Idaho State 7-0 hours after the Memphis match, Ball State had a chance to win the consolation bracket of the invitational. Sacramento State ended that goal with a 6-1 victory, as Morrison scored the only point for Ball State in match at No.3 singles.
Ball State won the first doubles match of the game in an 8-0 victory for Pavia and Rodriguez over Anton Stryhas and Kiryl Harbatsiuk. Stryhas and Harbatsiuk are ranked No. 45 in the nation in doubles. Sacramento State took the other two doubles matches and five of the six singles points for the win.
"They are a very good team," Richards said. "I was impressed with their talent level and we just got outplayed."
Out of the eight teams at the invitational, Ball State finished sixth.
The Cardinals are 9-8 with all nine wins coming against losing-record teams. Ball State begins a two-match road trip against Mid-American Conference schools starting Friday against the University at Buffalo.
"You put the past behind you," Richards said. "We didn't have as good of non-conference as we hoped, but you put it behind you and get ready for the next one."
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