Mississippi State
LSU
No. 29 MSU Men?s Tennis Falls to No. 30 LSU In ITA Kickoff Opener
January 23, 2016 | Men's Tennis
TAMPA, Fla. – A late push in singles action was not enough on Saturday, as the 29th-ranked Mississippi State (0-1) men's tennis team dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 30 LSU (1-0) to end the opening day of the ITA Kickoff Weekend.
The Bulldogs will face No. 31 Florida State in the consolation match of the ITA Kickoff Weekend on Sunday at 9 a.m. CT, following the loss to the Tigers. The Seminoles fell to No. 13 South Florida in the second match of the day from the USF Varsity Tennis Courts on Saturday. The winner of LSU and USF will advance to the ITA Division I National Men's Team indoor Championship in Charlottesville, Va.
“Hats off to LSU today for competing really well from start to finish,” head coach Matt Roberts said. “We let an early doubles lead go and took time off at certain points. Anytime you do that, it's going to be difficult to get a win versus a top-30 opponent.”
MSU's lone point of the day came after freshman Nuno Borges, who took down LSU's Simon Freund in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4 to kick off action in singles play.
The Bulldogs dropped a tight doubles point to the Tigers to start off the day. The duo of Rishab Agarwal and Luka Sucevic fell to Csonka and Andrew Korinek, 6-3. LSU would secure the doubles point following the victory against the Bulldog freshmen tandem of Borges and Niclas Braun, as the team of Justin Butsch and Tam Trinh claimed a 6-4 win. The junior duo Mate Cutura and Vaughn Hunter had their match with Boris Arias and Jordan Daigle suspended at 5-4, following the clinch.
In the No. 2 singles position, junior Agarwal fell to Butsch in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3 for LSU's second point of the afternoon to give the Tigers the 2-1 edge.
Despite claiming a 6-0 win in the first set, junior Hunter fell, 6-3, 6-4, as LSU's Gabor Csonka would claim the hard fought three-setter. Also going to three sets was freshman Strahinja Rakic, who fought back from dropping the first game, 7-6(4). Rakick would win the second set, 6-4, but fell in the deciding set, 6-3, to end the Bulldogs day.
After the ITA Kickoff Weekend, the Bulldogs will open the 2016 home slate at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre on Saturday, Jan. 30, against UNC Wilmington at 1 p.m. The Maroon and White will cap the weekend with a Sunday doubleheader against George Washington and Alcorn State at 11 a.m., and 5 p.m.
For more information on the Mississippi State men's tennis program, follow “HailStateMT” on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
No. 30 LSU 4, No. 29 Mississippi State 1
January 23, 2016 – USF Varsity Tennis Courts – Tampa, Fla.
Doubles
1. Mate Cutura/Vaughn Hunter (MSU) vs. Boris Arias/Jordan Daigle (LSU) 5-4, sups.
2. Justin Butsch/Tam Trinh (LSU) def. Nuno Borges/Niclas Braun (MSU) 6-4
3. Gabor Csonka/Andrew Korinek (LSU) def. Rishab Agarwal/Luka Sucevic (MSU) 6-3
Singles
1. Mate Cutura (MSU) vs. Jordan Daigle (LSU) 7(10)-6, 2-6, 2-1, susp.
2. Justin Butsch (LSU) def. Rishab Agarwal (MSU) 6-2, 6-3
3. Nuno Borges (MSU) def. Simon Freund (LSU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Niclas Braun (MSU) vs. Boris Arias (LSU) 7(7)-6, 1-6, 4-1, susp.
5. Andrew Korinek (LSU) def. Strahinja Rakic (MSU) 7(4)-6, 4-6, 6-3
6. Gabor Csonka (LSU) def. Vaughn Hunter (MSU) 0-6, 6-3, 6-4
Order of finish… Doubles (3, 2)… Singles (3, 2, 6, 5)
