Mississippi State
South Carolina
State Tennis Blanks South Carolina On The Road
March 19, 2011 | Men's Tennis
COLUMBIA, S.C. – On Saturday in Columbia, S.C. the Mississippi State men's tennis team improved to 8-5 on the year and 4-1 in Southeastern Conference play with a dominant 7-0 victory at South Carolina.
The Bulldogs have now won three-straight matches and four of their last five as the Maroon and White claimed their first 7-0 conference win since 2001 when they defeated the Gamecocks again on the road 7-0. MSU improved to 14-9 all-time against the Gamecocks.
MSU jumped out early on South Carolina by claiming the doubles point for the fourth time this season and improved to 4-0 when claiming the crucial opening point of the match. State duo Artem Ilyushin and Zach White improved to a perfect 3-0 in conference action and won their third-straight with an 8-2 takedown over Johannes Pulsfort and Chris Sheehan of the Gamecocks. South Carolina split the doubles point with an 8-4 win at the No. 2 position over MSU's James Chaudry and George Coupland, but MSU eventually clinched the opening point at court one where freshly ranked Bulldog tandem Louis Cant and Malte Stropp defeated Nick Jones and Ivan Machado, 8-5.
MSU pushed the throttle down in singles and played dominantly claiming all six available points. Reigning SEC freshman of the Week Stropp got things started first with a 6-1, 6-0, handling over Jones of South Carolina. Stropp has now won three-straight, seven of his last eight matches and is 8-2 in dual match action and 3-1 in league play. Shortly following MSU's 92nd-ranked Cant claimed a 6-2, 6-0, win on court five. Cant has also won three straight matches and improved to 4-1 in SEC play.
Clinching the match for the Maroon and White was freshman Zach White who is now also an impressive 4-1 in conference action. White defeated Harry Menzies of the Gamecocks 6-3, 6-4, to clinch the win for the Bulldogs.
84th-ranked Ilyushin earned his 45th career victory as a Bulldog by defeating South Carolina's Kostanov on court two, 6-2, 6-3. At the No. 3 spot, Chaudry of the Bulldogs won, 6-3, 6-4, against Cox of South Carolina. Completing the shutout was State's No. 85 ranked Coupland who had a come-from-behind win against the Gamecocks' Machado at the No.1 position, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.
MSU will take a break from conference play and serve up their next match at home to No. 36 ranked Nebraska. The Bulldogs and Cornhuskers will square off this Wednesday, Mar. 23 at 2 p.m.
#33 Mississippi State
7, South Carolina 0
Columbia, S.C.
– 3/19/11
DOUBLES
No. 1 – #69 Louis Cant/Malte Stropp
(MSU) def. Nick Jones/Ivan Machado (USC) 8-5; No. 2 – Chip Cox/Alexander
Kostanov (USC) def. James Chaudry/George Coupland (MSU) 8-4; No. 3 – Artem Ilyushin/Zach
White (MSU) def. Johannes Pulfort/Chris Sheehan (USC) 8-2; (Order of Finish: 3,2,1).
SINGLES
No. 1 – #85 Coupland (MSU) def.
Machado (USC) 1-6, 6-2, 6-3; No. 2 – #84 Ilyushin (MSU) def. Kostanov (USC)
6-2, 6-3; No. 3 – Chaudry (MSU) def. Cox (USC) 6-3, 6-4; No. 4 – Stropp (MSU)
def. Jones (SC) 6-1, 6-0; No. 5 – #92 Cant (MSU) def. Pulfort (USC) 6-2, 6-0;
No. 6 – White (MSU) def. Harry Menzies (USC) 6-3, 6-4; (Order of Finish: 4,5,6,2,3,1).
Players Mentioned
