THE RUNDOWN
TYLER, Texas – Midwestern State matched its best start since the 2011 season after a 7-0 sweep of UT Tyler on Thursday at the Summer Tennis Center. The 16th-ranked Mustangs improve to 9-1 on the year on their third-straight win.
 
After a pair of historic wins last weekend, MSU Texas didn't let up against the 2-8 Patriots.
 
The Mustangs swept all three courts in doubles to grab a 1-0 lead before cruising to five straight-set wins in singles.
 
The tandem of Dillon Pineda and Nolan McCaig downed Daniel Rodriguez and Jose Currea, 6-4, at the No. 2 line before the third-ranked duo of Ben Westwick and Alberto Diaz bested Michael Apple and Gabriel Hidalgo, 6-2, at the top flight to clinch the point.
 
Angel Palacios and Denney Norrie completed the sweep with a 6-4 win against Ford Cunningham and Connor Cooper at the No. 3 line.
 
Pineda and Alex Martinez Roca rattled off wins at the Nos. 2 & 4 flights against Rodriguez (6-3, 6-1) and Currea (6-1, 6-2), respectively, to push MSU Texas ahead 3-0.
 
Fifth-ranked Angel Palacios clinched the win for the Maroon and Gold, routing Apple, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 1 to remain unbeaten at the top flight.
 
With the match in hand, the Mustangs stormed to the finish in dominant fashion. McCaig erased a first-set deficit with 6-0, 6-2 second and third set wins. Diaz and Jean Muniz cruised to victories against Cunningham (6-1, 6-2) and Alvar De La Mano (6-2, 6-1) at the No. 5 and No. 6 flights.
 
BOX SCORE
#16 Midwestern State (9-1) def. UT Tyler (2-8)
Thurs. March 21, 2019 | 3 p.m.
Tyler, Texas
Summer Tennis Center
 
Doubles
No. 1 – #3 Ben Westwick/Alberto Diaz (MSU) def. Michael Apple/Gabriel Hidalgo (UTT) 6-2
No. 2 – Dillon Pineda/Nolan McCaig (MSU) def. Daniel Rodriguez/Jose Currea (UTT) 6-4
No. 3 – Angel Palacios/Denney Norrie (MSU) def. Ford Cunningham/Connor Cooper (UTT) 6-4
 
Singles
No. 1 – #5 Angel Palacios (MSU) def. Michael Apple (UTT) 6-3, 6-3
No. 2 – Dillon Pineda (MSU) def. Daniel Rodriguez (UTT) 6-3, 6-1
No. 3 – Nolan McCaig (MSU) def. Gabriel Hidalgo (UTT) 4-6, 6-0, 6-2
No. 4 – Alex Martinez Roca (MSU) def. Jose Currea (UTT) 6-1, 6-2
No. 5 – Alberto Diaz (MSU) def. Ford Cunningham (UTT) 6-1, 6-2
No. 6 – Jean Muniz (MSU) def. Alvar De La Mano (UTT) 6-2, 6-1
 
Order of finish: Doubles (2, 1, 3); Singles (2, 4, 1, 3, 5, 6)

UP NEXT
MSU Texas meets Tyler Junior College tomorrow morning at the JoAnn Medlock Murphy Tennis Center. First serve is slated for 9 a.m.