Wisconsin tennis splits weekend: 6-1 win over Penn, 3-2 loss at Middle Tennessee State

The Wisconsin men's tennis team finished its two-match weekend with a 6-1 victory over Pennsylvania and a 3-2 defeat at Middle Tennessee State. The Badgers now stand at 6-6 overall and 0-1 in Big Ten play. They have yet to secure a road win this season.

Wisconsin dominated Pennsylvania at Nielsen Tennis Center on Friday. The Badgers had never beaten the Quakers in program history, but they broke that streak with a decisive 6-1 score. Senior Josef Dodridge and junior Osgar O'Hoisin won the doubles point, extending their undefeated season record as a pair.

The team converted its home advantage into a sweep in the singles matches. Sophomores Daniel Soyfer and Chase Colton, along with Dodridge and freshman Jesper Freimuth, all won in straight sets. O'Hoisin secured the final point with a three-set victory. The result moved Wisconsin to 6-6 on the season.

The Badgers traveled to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to face Middle Tennessee State, a team with a 10-2 record and an undefeated home slate. Wisconsin took the early lead in doubles, with Carranza and Freimuth sealing the point with a 6-2 win over Glan Issa and Jan Porteset.

Soyfer added a 6-4, 6-3 singles win to give Wisconsin a 2-1 lead. Middle Tennessee State then won the next three matches to take a 3-2 advantage. Dodridge forced a decision by beating his opponent 7-6, 6-1, leaving the outcome to the No. 2 singles match.

Senior Chema Carranza lost the first set 7-6 in a tiebreak before winning the second 6-1. He led the deciding set 5-4, but Middle Tennessee State's Tom Moonen recovered to win 7-5. The loss kept Wisconsin winless on the road.

Head coach Danny Westerman noted that the result was difficult for the squad. "This one stings. We need to keep working. We put ourselves in these situations so we can eventually get over the hump," Westerman told UWBadgers.com. The team returns to Nielsen Tennis Center next weekend for a Sunday doubleheader against Cornell and UW-Green Bay.