No. 13 Bulldog Netters Set To Open SEC Play Friday At No. 30 South Carolina
May 25, 2016 | Men's Tennis
State will be meeting South Carolina for the 14th time since USC joined the SEC in 1992. State holds an 11-2 advantage in the series in that time, 4-1 in Columbia. MSU claimed a 7-0 win in the teams' only meeting last season, which was also at South Carolina.
The USC match marks the beginning of State's SEC schedule, which is always a rugged test each season and this year is no different. All 12 of the SEC's men's teams are currently ranked in the top 30 in the country, six of them among the top 15.
"Things get very difficult now," MSU head coach Sylvain Guichard said. "The SEC is always tough, but it?s also great to play in the most-talented conference in the nation. Not only does it give your team the chance to compete among the country's best every match, it also helps your players improve by competing against the best players in the nation.
"We get our first test Friday at South Carolina, who is always tough at home. As with any SEC match, we must be very focused to pull out a win."
Following Friday's match, State will continue its road swing Sunday, travelling to Gainesville, Fla., to meet the 26th-ranked Florida Gators.
