Mississippi State
Tennessee
MSU Tennis Drops Tough Loss To No. 5 Tennessee In Conference Opener
March 06, 2009 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Mississippi State men's tennis team gave the visiting fifth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers all they could handle Friday afternoon, before Tennessee ultimately took the match 5-2 in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams before a rowdy crowd at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. The contest featured two three-set affairs and two tiebreakers.
MSU jumped out to a 1-0 lead after claiming the doubles point for their fourth straight match. The rookie tandem of Louis Cant and Artem Ilyushin got things started on the right track for the Bulldogs at the No. 3 spot with their 8-5 handling of Tennessee's Matt Brewer and Christopher Williams. Following suit at the No. 2 position was State's undefeated duo of sophomore Antonio Lastre and freshman Daniel Sanchez, who remained unbeaten by downing Volunteers Matteo Fago and Christian Hansen, 8-4. At No. 1, Tennessee's ninth-ranked tandem of John-Patrick Smith and Davey Sandgren were able to avoid the sweep by taking down Bulldogs Chris Doerr and Tanner Stump in a close 8-6 decision.
Singles play was very close throughout with critical points being played on nearly every court at some point during the match. Evening things up at 1-1 was UT's 10th ranked Smith, who completed a two-set bout over 118th-ranked senior Bulldog Ryan Farlow 6-2, 6-3 at the top spot. Doerr pushed the Bulldogs back on top, working hard to claim his win over Christopher Williams at the No. 6 spot, 6-4, 6-1.
With things tightening up considerably, Fago of UT was able to take down the MSU freshman Ilyushin in identical sets, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 3 to knot the score at 2-2. That left three very close contests on the court to decide the match.
State's Cant dropped back-to-back tiebreakers to the Vols' Brewer, in a very tough 7-6(11), 7-6(3) setback to give Tennessee the lead at 3-2.
The final two matches of the day would be forced to third sets by Bulldogs Sanchez and Lastre, each trailing by a set early. Hansen would finally clinch the team win for UT at the No. 4 position in a three-set bout against Lastre, winning 6-2, 4-6, 6-2. To conclude scoring, Sandgren of Tennessee claimed a three-setter over Sanchez, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, snapping a three-match win streak for the MSU freshman.
"We should have won that match. We have to start focusing on key points and winning the close sets," said head coach Per Nilsson. "The crowd was unbelievable and a major advantage for us. We hope the keep that going Sunday against another great team in Georgia, as well as throughout the rest of the season."
MSU will look to rebound this Sunday, March 8, at 1 p.m. when the Bulldogs host another top 5 opponent in Georgia, who stands fourth nationally. UGA (11-2, 0-1 SEC) is fresh off a tough road loss to 10th-ranked Ole Miss, 4-3, Friday.
#5 TENNESSEE 5, MISSISSIPPI STATE 2
Starkville, Miss. - 3/06/09
DOUBLES - #9 Davey Sandgren/John-Patrick Smith (UT) def. Chris Doerr/Tanner Stump (MSU) 8-6; Antonio Lastre/Daniel Sanchez (MSU) def. Matteo Fago/Christian Hansen (UT) 8-4; Louis Cant/Artem Ilyushin (MSU) def. Matt Brewer/Christopher Williams (UT) 8-5.
SINGLES - #10 Smith (UT) def. #118 Ryan Farlow (MSU) 6-2, 6-3; Sandgren (UT) def. Sanchez (MSU) 6-4, 3-6, 7-5; Fago (UT) def. Ilyushin (MSU) 6-3, 6-3; Hansen (UT) def. Lastre (MSU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2; Brewer (UT) def. Cant (MSU) 7-6(11), 7-6(3); Doerr (MSU) def. Williams (UT) 6-4, 6-1.
