No. 26 State Netmen To Close Regular Season At No. 4 Mississippi Saturday
May 25, 2016 | Men's Tennis
State will enter the match 10-9 overall, 3-7 in the SEC, following an impressive 6-0 shutout of then-18th-ranked Arkansas this past Sunday in Starkville. The Bulldogs are led by sophomore Romain Ambert, ranked No. 7 in the country in singles, and junior Rene-Charles Combette (78th). Ambert and Combette are No. 24 in the country in doubles as well.
The Rebels are 16-4, 7-3 in the SEC, and are coming off a 7-0 shutout over 28th-ranked South Florida Wednesday at home. Mississippi currently has three players among the nation's best. Junior Alex Hartman is 17th, senior Kristofer Stahlberg is 52nd, and senior Martin Selin is 113th. Selin and Stahlberg also team to form the country's 34th-ranked doubles tandem.
The Bulldogs will be trying to break an eight-match losing skid to the Rebels, a streak which began during the 1999 season. The most recent clash was earlier this season in the fifth-annual River Hills Cup in Jackson, when the Rebels took a 4-2 decision with State leading in the third set of the final match when play was suspended.
"We know this will be a big challenge for us," MSU head coach Sylvain Guichard said. "They have another outstanding team this year, they will be at home, and they have gotten us eight straight times now. But we also know that most of those losses, including the one earlier this year, have been very close. It will take a lot of work and focus, but we can win this match."
Following Saturday's match, both teams will prepare for the 2002 Southeastern Conference Championship which will be held next week, April 18-21, in Knoxville, Tenn.
