Top-Ranked Georgia Downs No. 21 State Netters
May 25, 2016 | Men's Tennis
The loss dropped State to 8-8 overall, 2-6 in the Southeastern Conference. UGA improved to 19-1, 8-0 in the SEC, while winning for the 10th straight time over MSU and posting their 14th consecutive victory since their lone loss in February.
The match's start was delayed one hour and 45 minutes due to rain in the area and the contest was eventually moved indoors to McCarthy Gymnasium. Singles was contested first and Georgia would claim victory in the first four matches complete for the win.
The Bulldogs from Athens gained a 1-0 lead from 71st-ranked Lesley Joseph, who bested State's Luiz Carvalho 6-4, 6-2 at the No. 2 position. UGA took a 2-0 lead when 22nd-ranked and defending NCAA singles and doubles champion Matias Boeker held off MSU's 10th-ranked Romain Ambert 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1. It marked only the second dual match loss of the year for the MSU sophomore (now 13-2).
Georgia registered its third point when 15th-ranked Brandon Wagner downed MSU's Jerome Le Belicard 6-2, 6-4 at the No. 3 spot. UGA got the match-clinching triumph from 89th-ranked Bo Hodge, who posted a 6-2, 6-3 win over MSU's Aymeric Henou at No. 4. Due to travel considerations for Georgia, the final two singles matches and doubles action were not played once the match had been clinched.
State was without two of its top players in the match. Rene-Charles Combette, ranked 75th nationally, sat out the match with an ankle injury he sustained against Tennessee on Friday. Senior David Ruiz, who has suffered much of the spring with back problems, was out once again as well.
"Georgia was just too good today," MSU head coach Sylvain Guichard said. "We had some injury problems, but they would have been a challenge to beat even with our team at full strength. They're showing everyone this year why they are number one in the nation and defending national champions.
"We just have to put this one behind us and focus on the remainder of our season. We have some very important matches coming up this week and can't let one match bring us down. We still have a long way to go and a lot of opportunities ahead of us. Preparing for a very good Middle Tennessee team is our next priority."
The Bulldogs close out their current three-match homestand Tuesday hosting the 33rd-ranked Blue Raiders in a makeup match that was originally slated for Feb. 27. Match time is set for 2 p.m. at MSU's A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
#1 GEORGIA 4, #21 MISSISSIPPI STATE 0
DOUBLES -- Not Contested.
SINGLES -- #22 Matias Boeker (UGA) def. #10 Romain Ambert (MSU) 6-3, 6-2; #71 Lesley Joseph (UGA) def. Luiz Carvalho (MSU) 6-4, 6-2; #15 Brandon Wagner (UGA) def. Jerome Le Belicard (MSU) 6-2, 6-4; #89 Bo Hodge (UGA) def. Aymeric Henou (MSU) 6-2, 6-3; Max Fomine (MSU) vs. Nicolas Boeker (UGA) -- not contested; Michael Hailey (MSU) vs. Adam Seri (UGA) -- not contested.
(numbers preceding names are current national rankings)
