ITHACA, N.Y. – In a matchup between two teams with recent stints in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's national rankings, the men's tennis team outlasted Middle Tennessee State on Friday afternoon at Reis Tennis Center, 4-3.
 
The teams split the six singles matches, which made the procurement of the doubles point vital for Cornell (6-4). Freshman Bernardo Casares Rosa and junior Alex Sidney teamed up for an easy 8-1 victory at the No. 3 spot, then junior Sam Fleck and freshman Chris Vrabel gave the Big Red the opening point of the match with a 8-5 victory at the No. 1 position.
 
Sophomore Stefan Vinti improved to 5-1 in singles play this season with a three-set victory at the No. 2 position. It was the first time this season Vinti wasn't competing from the top spot. That also bumped Casares Rosa down to No. 3, where he outlasted his opponent in three sets for another pivotal victory for the Big Red.
 
Like Casares Rosa, Sidney also won both his singles and doubles matches Friday. Sidney skirted past his opponent at the No. 5 position, helping the Big Red win its first-ever meeting with the Blue Raiders in their programs' histories.
 
Cornell is back in action at 2 p.m. Saturday against 50^th-ranked Nebraska at Reis Tennis Center.
 
CORNELL 4, MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE 3
Friday's results; at Reis Tennis Center; Ithaca, N.Y.
Doubles
1. Sam Fleck/Chris Vrabel (C) def. Victor Cornea/David Fox, 8-5
2. Yannick Born/Aaron Jumonville (M) def. Jason Luu/Colin Sinclair, 8-6
3. Bernardo Casares Rosa/Alex Sidney (C) def. Victor Hoang/Ettore Zito, 8-1
Singles
1. Zito (M) def. Fleck, 6-4, 6-3
2. Stefan Vinti (C) def. Fox, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
3. Casares Rosa (C) def. Cornea, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
4. Hoang (M) def. Luu, 6-2, 6-4
5. Sidney (C) def. Jumonville, 6-1, 6-4
6. Sam Matheson (M) def. Vrabel, 6-2, 6-4
Records: Cornell 6-4, Middle Tennessee State 2-7