Mississippi State
SEC Indoor Championships
MSU Tennis Rookie Louis Cant Advances To SEC Indoor Quarterfinals
January 17, 2009 | Men's Tennis
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Mississippi State freshman Louis Cant has wasted no time making his presence known in the Southeastern Conference, as the new spring arrival advanced to the quarterfinals in his first collegiate event with two more wins at the SEC Indoor Championships in Lexington, Ky., Saturday.
Cant defeated Christian Vitulli of Georgia in the second round, 7-6(4), 6-4, and followed that up with a win over Florida's Antoine Benneteau, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the round of 16. Cant will face a strong test in second-ranked and top-seeded Michael Venus of LSU in Sunday's quarterfinals.
In other State action Saturday, sophomore Antonio Lastre earned two victories in consolation play, beating Yassine Houssam of Alabama in a three-set bout, 7-6(3), 3-6, 1-0(7), followed by a 7-5, 6-3, win over Georgia's Vitulli.
Senior Ryan Farlow slipped up in his second round match with Joey Burkhardt of Florida, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, while sophomore Tanner Stump dropped his second match against 35th-ranked Jamie Hunt of Georgia, 6-2, 6-1. Jonas Berg of Ole Miss took a two-set win over State true freshman Daniel Sanchez, 6-3, 6-1.
MSU also competed in doubles consolation play Saturday, dropping two matches. Cant and Stump fell against Jamie Cluskey and Julien Gauthier of LSU, 8-6. Lastre and Sanchez dropped a close matchup against Borja Malo and Alex Hill of Georgia, 8-6.
The Bulldog netmen will continue tomorrow with Cant facing Venus in the quarterfinals at 10 a.m. Lastre will hit the court for consolation play at 8:30 a.m.
SEC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Lexington, Ky. - 1/17/09
SINGLES - MAIN DRAW
Second Round - Louis Cant (MSU) def. Christian Vitulli (Georgia), 7-6(4), 6-4; Jamie Hunt (Georgia) def. Tanner Stump (MSU), 6-2, 6-1; Jonas Berg (Ole Miss) def. Daniel Sanchez (MSU), 6-3, 6-1; Joey Burkhardt (Florida) def. Ryan Farlow (MSU), 6-1, 5-7, 6-2.
Third Round - Cant (MSU) def. Antoine Benneteau (Florida), 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.
SINGLES - CONSOLATION
First Round - Antonio Lastre (MSU) def. Yassine Houssam (Alabama), 7-6(3), 3-6, 1-0(7).
Second Round - Lastre (MSU) def. Vitulli (Georgia), 7-5, 6-3.
DOUBLES - CONSOLATION
First Round - Jamie Cluskey/Julien Gauthier (LSU) def. Cant/Stump (MSU), 8-6; Borja Malo/Alex Hill (Georgia) def. Lastre/Sanchez (MSU), 8-6.
