Mississippi State Men's Tennis Wins 6-1 Over Memphis

Friday, February 20

Starkville

2:00 PM

Mississippi State

Memphis

Mississippi State Men's Tennis Wins 6-1 Over Memphis

February 20, 2009 | Men's Tennis

By: hailstate.com

STARKVILLE, Miss. ? The Mississippi State men's tennis team improved its 2009 home record to 2-0 with a 6-1 victory over the visiting Memphis Tigers Friday. With the win, State pushed its record on the season to 3-2 while Memphis dropped to 5-3.

“I am very pleased with how our guys showed up today,” said head coach Per Nilsson. “We still have some areas that we need to improve on, but the foundation is set and we look forward to progressing every match.”

For the second straight match, MSU swept the doubles point, with a pair of rookies in Artem Ilyushin and Louis Cant taking the first match 8-1 over Charlie Ramsay and Leon Nasemann of Memphis at the #3 spot. Sealing up the doubles point for the Bulldogs was the duo of junior Chris Doerr and sophomore Tanner Stump, defeating Memphis' tandem of Jorge Vazquez and Spencer Heflin, 8-5, at the top spot. MSU's tandem of sophomore Antonio Lastre and freshman Daniel Sanchez remained undefeated on the season at 5-0 with their 8-5 victory over Benedikt Fischer and Jordan Smith.

The Bulldogs opened up with a 2-0 lead when Lastre abruptly took control of his match, winning 6-1, 6-1over Tigers' David Henry at the #5 spot, extending the Spain native's season record to 4-1. Memphis got on the board at the #1 spot when the 51st-ranked Vazquez won 6-4, 6-4 over MSU senior Ryan Farlow.

MSU would respond with four straight match victories, with the next coming from the Bulldogs' Cant at the #4 spot, taking down Memphis' Benedikt Fischer in a two-set bout, 6-1, 6-3. MSU's Ilyushin would help MSU claim the match victory with his 7-6(3), 6-3 win over Charlie Ramsay at the #3 spot.

Stump and Sanchez finished off MSU scoring, with Stump playing in the #6 spot against Michael Gaerthoeffner of Memphis, winning a three-set affair 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Sanchez would win a pair of tiebreakers for his victory, 7-6(6), 7-6(8), over Nasemann of Memphis at the No. 2 position.

The victory gives the Bulldogs their sixth straight over Memphis, dating back to 1989.

MSU now looks ahead to this Sunday, Feb. 22, when they will welcome the Georgia State Panthers at 1 p.m. at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.

Live stats will be available at www.mstateathletics.com.

#50 MISSISSIPPI STATE 6, MEMPHIS 1
February 20, 2009 ? Starkville, Miss.

DOUBLES ? Chris Doerr/Tanner Stump (MSU) def. Jorge Vazquez/Spencer Heflin (UM) 8-5; Antonio Lastre/Daniel Sanchez (MSU) def. Benedikt Fischer/Jordan Smith (UM) 8-5; Artem Ilyushin/Louis Cant (MSU) def. Charlie Ramsay/Leon Nasemann (UM) 8-1.

SINGLES ? Vazquez (UM) def. Farlow (MSU) 6-4, 6-4; Sanchez (MSU) def. Nasemann (UM) 7-6(6), 7-6(8); Ilyushin (MSU) def. Ramsay (UM) 7-6(3), 6-3; Cant (MSU) def. Fischer (UM) 6-1, 6-3; Lastre (MSU) def. David Henry (UM) 6-1, 6-1; Stump (MSU) def. Michael Gaerthoeffner (UM) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.