Mississippi State
Georgia
Bulldogs Drop 6-1 Match To Third-Ranked Georgia
February 29, 2008 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. -The Mississippi State men's tennis team fell 6-1 to third-ranked Georgia Friday afternoon at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. State fell to 4-3 this season with the loss while UGA improved to 9-1.
Doubles play was tight to open the match before UGA took control. The first match complete saw UGA's Drake Bernstein and Josh Varela defeat MSU's Chris Doerr and Tanner Stump 8-4 on court 3. Georgia clinched the point when Javier Garrapiz and Travis Helgeson downed State's duo of Ryan Farlow and Pjotrs Necajevs 8-4 at the #2 position. On court 1, Georgia's 32nd-ranked pair of Jamie Hunt and Nate Schnugg outbattled 59th-ranked Bulldogs Ivan Bjelica and Philippe Frayssinoux in a tiebreaker, winning 9-8(4).
Georgia would extend its lead early in singles play. UGA took a 2-0 lead when Garrapiz downed MSU junior Farlow 6-0, 6-0 on court #3. Georgia went up 3-0 when UGA's Christian Vitulli defeated MSU's Doerr 6-2, 6-4 on court #4. UGA took a 4-0 lead and clinched the win when Varela topped MSU freshman Antonio Lastre 6-2, 6-0 on court 5. Bjelica, ranked 45th, would provide the lone point for State, as he downed UGA's eighth-ranked Schnugg 6-4, 7-6 on court 1. However, Georgia would claim the last two matches on as UGA's 69th-ranked Hunt defeated State's 42nd-ranked Frayssinoux 6-3, 6-4 on court 2, while Georgia's Bernstein topped MSU freshman Maximilien Genuini 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 on court 6.
"We just didn't have enough to keep up with them today," said MSU head coach Per Nilsson. "It was easy to see why they are a top-five team. I was proud of the guys for showing great effort but we must continue to get better. Now we have to get prepared to face another really good team in Tennessee."
With a win on court #1, Bjelica improved to 8-3 overall this season and 4-2 in dual matches. The Belgrade, Serbia, native now has five wins over ranked opponents this spring, including two victories over players ranked in the top-10. With losses on court #3 and #5, Bulldogs Farlow and Lastre had four-match winning streaks snapped.
The Bulldogs will be back in action Sunday, as they travel to Knoxville, Tenn., to face 14th-ranked Tennessee. The Volunteers are 10-1 this season and are coming off a tight 4-3 loss to fourth-ranked Mississippi on Friday. Sunday's start time is set for 1 p.m. CT at the UT Varsity Tennis Courts.
#3 Georgia 6, #49 Mississippi State 1
Athens, Ga.-2/29/08
Doubles-#32 Jamie Hunt/Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. #59 Ivan Bjelica/Philippe Frayssinoux (MSU) 9-8 (4); Javier Garrapiz/Travis Helgeson (UGA) def. Ryan Farlow/Pjotrs Necajevs (MSU) 8-4; Drake Bernstein/Josh Varela (UGA) def. Chris Doerr/Tanner Stump (MSU) 8-4.
Singles-#45 Bjelica (MSU) def. #8 Schnugg (UGA) 6-4, 7-6(4); #69 Hunt (UGA) def. #42 Frayssinoux (MSU) 6-3, 6-4; Garrapiz (UGA) def. Farlow (MSU) 6-0, 6-0; Christian Vitulli (UGA) def. Doerr (MSU) 6-2, 6-4; Varela (UGA) def. Antonio Lastre (MSU) 6-2, 6-0; Bernstein (UGA) def. Maximilien Genuini (MSU) 6-1, 2-6, 6-2.
