Saturday, May 13
Norman, Okla.
11:00 AM
Mississippi State
1
at
4
Oklahoma
Simon Baudry earned another win in singles action for MSU.
MSU’s Remarkable Season Comes To A Close In Norman
May 13, 2017 | Men's Tennis
NORMAN, Okla. – Despite turning in another tremendous effort, 18th-ranked Mississippi State (21-9) fell in a tough battle to 14th-ranked Oklahoma (17-10) as the Sooners earned a 4-1 victory over the Bulldogs to advance to the 2017 NCAA Round of 16 in Athens, Ga.
OU was the No. 14 seed nationally and advanced to the round of 16 for the fifth consecutive season as a program. The Sooners have finished the last three seasons with a NCAA finalist appearance as well.
"I'm so proud of what this team has accomplished this year," head coach Matt Roberts said. "They not only exceled on the court with great results, but established an amazing culture for future Bulldog teams. Hats off to Oklahoma, they played a great match and didn't give anything easily."
MSU finished the 2017 season with a 21-9 record, which marked the most wins for any Bulldog squad since 1998.
"Words cannot describe what Mate and Vaughn have done for this program," Roberts said. "The seniors have played a huge role in laying the foundation for our program. I'm proud of how they pushed themselves this season and became great men that will succeed in whatever they do in life."
Saturday's match began with each team dueling it out in doubles action. The Sooners took the first decision on court one after No. 15 Spencer Papa and Andrew Harris downed No. 8 Niclas Braun and Trevor Foshey, 6-2. Soon after, OU's 66th-ranked pair of Florin Bragusi and Alex Ghilea clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 win over Mate Cutura and Vaughn Hunter.
Nuno Borges and Strahinja Rakic's match against OU's Jochen Bertsch and Adrian Oetzbach was suspended at 4-4.
In singles action, the Sooners carried momentum to take four of the first six sets. Three of those first sets came down to a tiebreaker, with OU taking two of the three. The Sooners would pick up their first win in singles action after OU's No. 32 Harris defeated Cutura, 6-4, 6-3. On Court three, the Sooners would extend their lead after No. 47 Ghilea edged out MSU's No. 115 Rakic, 7-5, 6-4.
Trailing 3-0, the Bulldogs would push back to take a decision on court six after freshman Simon Baudry earned a 7-6(7), 6-2 win over Oetzbach to trim the Sooner lead. OU was feeling the heat after No. 4 Borges surged to a lead on court one and Braun forced a third set, but Bertsch would outlast freshman Giovanni Oradini, 7-6(6), 6-4 to seal the 4-1 win for the Sooners.
"This has been one of the toughest seasons I've ever been apart of as a coach or player," Roberts said. "I'll always have a special place for this team in my heart and will never forget how they competed with passion and love for their teammates."
Up Next
MSU will have three Bulldogs competing at this month's NCAA Individual Championships in Athens, Ga. No. 4 Borges will compete in singles, with No. 8 Braun and Foshey playing in doubles competition on May 24-29.
Additional Notes
Social Media
For more information on the Mississippi State men's tennis program, follow "HailStateMT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
No. 14 Oklahoma 4, No. 18 Mississippi State 1
NCAA Team Championship – Second Round
May 13, 2017 – Norman, Okla. – Headington Family Tennis Center
Doubles
1. No. 15 Spencer Papa/Andrew Harris (OU) def. No. 8 Niclas Braun/Trevor Foshey (MSU) 6-2
2. No. 66 Florin Bragusi/Alex Ghilea (OU) def. Mate Cutura/Vaughn Hunter (MSU) 6-3
3. Nuno Borges/Strahinja Rakic (MSU) vs. Jochen Bertsch/Adrian Oetzbach (OU) 4-4, suspended
Order of finish: 1, 2
Singles
1. No. 4 Nuno Borges (MSU) vs. No. 24 Spencer Papa (OU) 6-2, 6-7(5), 3-3, suspended
2. No. 32 Andrew Harris (OU) def. Mate Cutura (MSU) 6-4, 6-3
3. No. 47 Alex Ghilea (OU) def. No. 115 Strahinja Rakic (MSU) 7-5, 6-4
4. Niclas Braun (MSU) vs. No. 113 Florin Bragusi (OU) 6-7(5), 6-4, suspended
5. Jochen Bertsch (OU) def. Giovanni Oradini (MSU) 7-6(6), 6-4
6. Simon Baudry (MSU) def. Adrian Oetzbach (OU) 7-6(7), 6-2
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 6, 5
OU was the No. 14 seed nationally and advanced to the round of 16 for the fifth consecutive season as a program. The Sooners have finished the last three seasons with a NCAA finalist appearance as well.
"I'm so proud of what this team has accomplished this year," head coach Matt Roberts said. "They not only exceled on the court with great results, but established an amazing culture for future Bulldog teams. Hats off to Oklahoma, they played a great match and didn't give anything easily."
MSU finished the 2017 season with a 21-9 record, which marked the most wins for any Bulldog squad since 1998.
"Words cannot describe what Mate and Vaughn have done for this program," Roberts said. "The seniors have played a huge role in laying the foundation for our program. I'm proud of how they pushed themselves this season and became great men that will succeed in whatever they do in life."
Saturday's match began with each team dueling it out in doubles action. The Sooners took the first decision on court one after No. 15 Spencer Papa and Andrew Harris downed No. 8 Niclas Braun and Trevor Foshey, 6-2. Soon after, OU's 66th-ranked pair of Florin Bragusi and Alex Ghilea clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 win over Mate Cutura and Vaughn Hunter.
Nuno Borges and Strahinja Rakic's match against OU's Jochen Bertsch and Adrian Oetzbach was suspended at 4-4.
In singles action, the Sooners carried momentum to take four of the first six sets. Three of those first sets came down to a tiebreaker, with OU taking two of the three. The Sooners would pick up their first win in singles action after OU's No. 32 Harris defeated Cutura, 6-4, 6-3. On Court three, the Sooners would extend their lead after No. 47 Ghilea edged out MSU's No. 115 Rakic, 7-5, 6-4.
Trailing 3-0, the Bulldogs would push back to take a decision on court six after freshman Simon Baudry earned a 7-6(7), 6-2 win over Oetzbach to trim the Sooner lead. OU was feeling the heat after No. 4 Borges surged to a lead on court one and Braun forced a third set, but Bertsch would outlast freshman Giovanni Oradini, 7-6(6), 6-4 to seal the 4-1 win for the Sooners.
"This has been one of the toughest seasons I've ever been apart of as a coach or player," Roberts said. "I'll always have a special place for this team in my heart and will never forget how they competed with passion and love for their teammates."
Up Next
MSU will have three Bulldogs competing at this month's NCAA Individual Championships in Athens, Ga. No. 4 Borges will compete in singles, with No. 8 Braun and Foshey playing in doubles competition on May 24-29.
Additional Notes
- MSU is 24-22 all-time in the NCAA Championship
- Head coach Matt Roberts is 4-3 all-time in NCAA postseason action
- The 21 wins are the most in program history since 1998
- Oklahoma now leads the all-time series over MSU, 2-1
- Simon Baudry finished the season on a six-match win streak in singles play
Social Media
For more information on the Mississippi State men's tennis program, follow "HailStateMT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
No. 14 Oklahoma 4, No. 18 Mississippi State 1
NCAA Team Championship – Second Round
May 13, 2017 – Norman, Okla. – Headington Family Tennis Center
Doubles
1. No. 15 Spencer Papa/Andrew Harris (OU) def. No. 8 Niclas Braun/Trevor Foshey (MSU) 6-2
2. No. 66 Florin Bragusi/Alex Ghilea (OU) def. Mate Cutura/Vaughn Hunter (MSU) 6-3
3. Nuno Borges/Strahinja Rakic (MSU) vs. Jochen Bertsch/Adrian Oetzbach (OU) 4-4, suspended
Order of finish: 1, 2
Singles
1. No. 4 Nuno Borges (MSU) vs. No. 24 Spencer Papa (OU) 6-2, 6-7(5), 3-3, suspended
2. No. 32 Andrew Harris (OU) def. Mate Cutura (MSU) 6-4, 6-3
3. No. 47 Alex Ghilea (OU) def. No. 115 Strahinja Rakic (MSU) 7-5, 6-4
4. Niclas Braun (MSU) vs. No. 113 Florin Bragusi (OU) 6-7(5), 6-4, suspended
5. Jochen Bertsch (OU) def. Giovanni Oradini (MSU) 7-6(6), 6-4
6. Simon Baudry (MSU) def. Adrian Oetzbach (OU) 7-6(7), 6-2
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 6, 5
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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