Mississippi State
Tennessee State
No. 34 MSU Sweeps Tennessee State In Doubleheader
February 22, 2020 | Men's Tennis
by Graham Murphree, Student Assistant/Communications
STARKVILLE - The 34th-ranked Mississippi State men's tennis team earned two wins over Tennessee State on Saturday - a 6-1 decision in match one before blanking the Tigers 4-0 in the closer – both at MSU's A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
With victories, State (8-4) claimed the first-ever meetings with TSU (1-6) in men's tennis.
"Today was a great day," head coach Matt Roberts said. "I was pleased to see how our guys maintained focus all day and applied what we are working on in practice. We will continue to enjoy the process and are ready for the start of our SEC season next weekend."
The Bulldogs came out running on all cylinders in match one and claimed the doubles point with ease.
Alberto Colas and Gregor Ramskogler grabbed the first match as they cruised over Tennessee State's pair of Kato Richardson and Larry Sloan 6-1 at No. 3. The No. 2 MSU duo of Isaac Becroft and Giovanni Oradini followed suit, dominating Juan Colas Rojas Antezana and Leandros Misdrachis 6-2 to clinch the doubles point for the Bulldogs. At the time of the clinch, the 34th-ranked Bulldogs Florian Broska and Nicolas Ocana were up 5-2 on Maksims Kalievs and Stefan Koruga at the top position.
The Bulldogs continued the momentum in singles action by earning victories on five of the six courts.
Making quick work at the No. 2 position was the 73rd-ranked Broska as he dominated the Tigers' Sloan 6-2, 6-1. True freshman Jonas Hartenstein then posted a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over TSU's Alberto Gonzalez Raton at No. 6. On court 1, MSU's 39th-ranked Oradini defeated Kazijevs 6-0, 6-1 to clinch match one for the Maroon and White. The remaining matches were then played out.
Ramskogler controlled his match over Antezana at the No. 3 position, winning 6-3, 6-0. The Tigers' lone point came on court 4 as Koruga held off MSU rookie Davide Tortora in a tight three-set affair 6-4, 6-7(7), 1-0(7). Concluding the first match of the day would be court 5 with State's Ocana going the distance against Misdrachis, winning a tight 6-2, 6-7(5), 1-0(8) decision.
The Bulldogs looked to continue their momentum as they headed into the second match of the day and they did just that.
Picking up where the Bulldogs left off, Colas and Ramskogler punched first in doubles by defeating Kaijevs and Koruga 6-1 at the No. 2 spot. Next up would be a new-look MSU duo of Becroft and Tortora, the pair defeating TSU's Richardson and Sloan 6-1 on court 3 to clinch the doubles point. At the time of the clinch, Oradini and Stedman Strickland held a 4-1 lead over Antezana and Misdrachis at No. 1.
In singles play, the Bulldogs proved the dominate force, breezing past the Tigers by dropping only one game in the first three matches to be completed.
At the No. 1 position, Ramskogler cruised over Sloan 6-0, 6-1. The next victory for the Bulldogs came at the No. 3 position as Tortora rebounded from his first match to shutout TSU's Antezana 6-0, 6-0. The clinching point came from the No. 6 position where the true freshman Becroft blanked Richardson 6-0, 6-0.
The remaining contests were suspended at that point. MSU's Colas was up 6-2, 0-1 on Kaijevas on court 2. At No. 4, Ocana trailed 4-3 to TSU's Koruga in the first set. Lastly, on court 5, State's Hartenstein led 5-4 over Misdrachis.
State now sets its sights on 2020 Southeastern Conference play. The Bulldogs will open their league slate this Friday, Feb. 28, when they host Arkansas at 3 p.m. at the Pitts Tennis Centre.
No. 34 Mississippi State 6, Tennessee State 1
February 22, 2020
A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre – Starkville, Miss.
Doubles
1. #34 Florian Broska/Nicolas Ocana (MSU) vs. Maksims Kajievs/Stefan Koruga (TSU) 5-2 (susp.)
2. Isaac Becroft/Giovanni Oradini (MSU) def. Juan Colas Rojas Antezana/Leandros Misdrachis (TSU) 6-2
3. Alberto Colas/Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Kato Richardson/Larry Sloan (TSU) 6-1
Order of finish: 3,2
Singles
1. #39 Giovanni Oradini (MSU) def. Maksims Kazijevs (TSU) 6-0, 6-1
2. # 73 Florian Broska (MSU) def. Larry Sloan (TSU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Juan Carlos Rojas Antezana (TSU) 6-3, 6-0
4. Stefan Koruga (TSU) def. Davide Tortora (MSU) 6-4, 6-7(7), 1-0(7)
5. Nicolas Ocana (MSU) def. Leandros Misdrachis (TSU) 6-2, 6-7(5), 1-0(8)
6. Jonas Hartenstein (MSU) def. Alberto Gonzalez Raton (TSU) 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish: 2,6,1,3,4,5
No. 34 Mississippi State 4, Tennessee State 0
February 22, 2020
A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre – Starkville, Miss.
Doubles
1. Giovanni Oradini/Stedman Strickland (MSU) vs. Juan Carlos Rojas Antezana/Leandros Misdrachis (TSU) 4-1 (susp.)
2. Alberto Colas/Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Maksims Kaijevs/Stefan Koruga (TSU) 6-1
3. Isaac Becroft/Davide Tortora (MSU) def. Kato Richardson/Larry Sloan (TSU) 6-1
Order of finish: 2,3
Singles
1. Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Larry Sloan (TSU) 6-0, 6-1
2. Alberto Colas (MSU) vs. Maksims Kazijevs (TSU) 6-2, 0-1 (susp.)
3. Davide Tortora (MSU) def. Juan Carlos Rojas Antezana (TSU) 6-0, 6-0
4. Nicolas Ocana (MSU) vs. Stefan Koruga (TSU) 3-4 (susp.)
5. Jonas Hartenstein (MSU) vs. Leandros Misdrachis (TSU) 5-4 (susp.)
6. Isaac Becroft (MSU) def. Kato Richardson (TSU) 6-0, 6-0
Order of finish: 1,3,6
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Players Mentioned
