No. 29 MSU Concludes Homestand With Saturday Doubleheader
February 12, 2016 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Looking to finish its current homestand undefeated, the 29th-ranked Mississippi State men's tennis team (5-2) welcomes UAB (3-1) and Morehead State (0-3) to the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre this Saturday at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT for a twinbill showcase.
Depending upon the length of the first match on Saturday, the second match could be moved up to an earlier start time. That will be determined once the match against UAB has concluded.
“We have had a good couple of weekends here at home and I want our team to finish strong this Saturday,” head coach Matt Roberts said. “The crowds have been great at A.J. Pitts and we expect no less this weekend. We have two quality opponents coming in that will test our guys and help them improve their games before we go into SEC play.”
The Bulldogs earned back-to-back 4-0 victories last Saturday, extending their five-match winning streak. MSU has shutout four-straight opponents in that stretch, outscoring foes 23-3.
One reason for the success at home so far is the play of MSU's doubles teams. In the five matches at home this season the Bulldogs have not surrendered a single decision, while winning eight doubles matches. The freshman duo of Nuno Borges and Niclas Braun have spearheaded the attack on doubles, claiming all five doubles matches in the current homestand.
The pair has also aided the Bulldogs in singles dual matches as well, with Borges going 4-0 and Braun turning in a 4-1 record on the court. Junior Rishab Agarwal leads the team in singles wins however, amassing a six-match winning streak to earn a 6-1 dual-match record. Fellow junior and 41st-ranked singles player Mate Cutura will also be a factor for the Maroon and White this Saturday in the No. 1 spot.
In the first leg of Saturday's doubleheader, UAB comes to Starkville sporting a 3-1 record after a win against familiar foe UNC Wilmington, as well as victories against North Alabama and Jacksonville State. The Bulldogs defeated UNCW 4-3 in Starkville on Jan. 30, while the Blazers defeated the Seahawks 5-2 the day before on Jan. 29.
For Morehead State, Saturday's match will be the fourth on the tough schedule so far this season for the squad from Morehead, Ky. The Eagles have dropped decisions to No. 36 Louisville, Xavier and Michigan State, with all three matches coming on the road. The match between the Bulldogs and Eagles will be the first meeting between the two programs on the tennis court.
After this Saturday's doubleheader, the Maroon and White hit the road for a ranked bout with No. 30 Tulane in New Orleans, La., at 1 p.m. CT. The match will be the Bulldogs' first true road match of the season.
For more information on the Mississippi State men's tennis program, follow “HailStateMT” on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
