Mississippi State
ITA Southern Region Indoor Championships
Six Bulldogs Advance On Opening Day Of ITA Southern Regionals
October 22, 2010 | Men's Tennis
"I was very pleased with the outcome of today, I saw lots of positives and am excited about tomorrow," Coach Per Nilsson said. "We can't become complacent we have to keep things going and stay focused but I think we can manage that."
Hrehan Hakeem and Max Gregor of the Bulldogs got State started off on the right track in singles with each picking up victories in the first round of the tournament while all other MSU players received first round byes. Hakeem took down Adam Bernstein of Tulane in straight sets 6-2, 6-1 and Gregor defeated Jacksonville State's Axel Sundberg in a come-from-behind three setter, 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-0.
In second round action there were six Bulldogs that tabbed victories to advance. 79th-ranked junior Artem Ilyushin played his first match of the fall after battling injury and won in straight-set fashion 6-0, 7-6(5) over James Tubervill of LSU. Louis Cant is State's highest ranked player at No. 38 nationally and Cant picked up his second victory of the fall with a 6-0, 6-3, win over Gustavo Holz of Jacksonville State. 56th-ranked George Coupland was also victorious by winning handily over UAB's Daniel Moser, 6-1, 6-4.
Hakeem continued the winning trend in the second round and beat Carson Kadi of Samford in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. True freshman Zach White snapped a three-match losing skid and picked up an identical-set victory over Alabama's Carlos Taborga, 6-4, 6-4. Fellow true freshman Malte Stropp, who stands as the 10th-ranked freshman nationally added to his team-high victories, which now equals four, by taking down Yanick Madnl of Louisiana-Lafayette in two-sets, 6-1, 6-4.
A pair of Bulldogs fell in the second round of the singles draw with Gregor falling to No. 73 Alex Stamchev of Auburn, 6-2, 6-0, and senior Tanner Stump slipping up against Samford's Zac Dunkle in a three-set battle, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
In first round doubles action MSU's team of Gregor and Hakeem took care of business, 8-2, over Dunkle and Alex Sajonz of Samford but later were defeated in the second round, 8-6, to Tom Puetz and David Zimmerman of UAB. The Bulldog tandem of Cant and Stropp defeated Carlos Abalos and Oliver Reynolds of Samford, 8-3 to advance to the second round of the doubles draw. MSU's Stump and White fell, 8-6, to South Alabama's Parker Allen and Dauw Kruger.
In the second round, State's Coupland and Ilyushin who stand 11th in the country advanced by blanking Thomas Bellman and Joshua Bourke of Jacksonville State, 8-0. Cant and Stropp kept their win streak alive with an 8-3 takedown over Tom Knights and Stefan Szacinski of LSU.
State will return to the courts on Saturday, Oct. 23, to continue play at the ITA Southern Regional Championships. After play has been concluded for the day results will be made available at www.mstateatheltics.com.
ITA SOUTHERN REGIOINAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tuscaloosa, Ala. - 10/22/10
SINGLES
First Round - Hrehan Hakeem (MSU) def. Adam Bernstein (Tulane) 6-2, 6-1; Max Gregor (MSU) def. Axel Sundberg (Jacksonville State) 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-0.
Second Round - #79 Artem Ilyushin (MSU) def. James Tubervill (LSU) 6-0, 7-6(5); #38 Louis Cant (MSU) def. Gustavo Holz (Jacksonville State) 6-0, 6-3; Hakeem (MSU) def. Carson Kadi (Samford) 6-3, 6-2; Zach White (MSU) def. Carlos Taborga (Alabama) 6-4, 6-4; #56 George Coupland (MSU) def. Daniel Moser (UAB) 6-1, 6-4; #73 Alex Stamchev (Auburn) def. Gregor (MSU) 6-2, 6-0; Malte Stropp (MSU) def. Yanick Mandl (Louisiana-Lafayette) 6-1, 6-4; Zac Dunkle (Samford) def. Tanner Stump (MSU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
DOUBLES
First Round - Gregor/Hakeem (MSU) def. Dunkle/Alex Sajonz (Samford) 8-2; Cant/Stropp (MSU) def. Carlos Abalos/Oliver Reynolds (Samford) 8-3; Parker Allen/Dauw Kruger (South Alabama) def. Stump/White (MSU) 8-6.
Second Round - #11 Coupland/Ilyushin (MSU) def. Thomas Bellman/Joshua Bourke (Jacksonville State) 8-0; Cant/Stropp (MSU) def. Tom Knights/Stefan Szacinski (LSU) 8-3; Tom Puetz/David Zimmerman (UAB) def. Gregor/Hakeem (MSU) 8-6.
