Mississippi State
Texas A&M
No. 23 MSU Falls To No. 11 Texas A&M, 6-1
March 05, 2021 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE. – Despite pushing three matches to third sets, the 23rd-ranked Mississippi State men's tennis team ultimately fell 6-1 to No. 11 Texas A&M in an afternoon affair Friday at MSU's A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
With the setback, State fell to 9-4, 0-3 in SEC action while Texas A&M improved to 9-1, 4-1 in the SEC. A&M now holds a 9-6 all-time record against the Bulldogs. MSU had taken two in a row in the series entering Friday's contest.
Starting the afternoon off, the Bulldogs would put up a strong stance in doubles before dropping a tight point to start the match. On court 3, MSU's Nemanja Malesevic and Nicolas Ocana fell to A&M's Pierce Rollins and Valentin Vacherot 6-3. Clinching the doubles point for the Aggies would be court 2, where Hady Habib and Noah Schachter edged the MSU duo of Alberto Colas and Giovanni Oradini 6-4. At the time of the clinch, Bulldogs Florian Broska and Gregor Ramskogler were knotted 5-5 against the nation's 48th-ranked duo of Juan Carlos Aguilar and Bjorn Thomson.
In singles play, the Aggies would come out full throttle, claiming the first set on five of the six courts to keep their momentum from doubles. But the Bulldogs would not go down quietly, forcing third sets in three of those matches to still give themselves a chance for the upset.
Court 1 would finish first with the 13th-ranked Aggie Habib downing MSU's 36th-ranked Oradini 6-2, 6-1. Following would be the No. 3 spot where A&M's 33rd-ranked Aguilar bested State's Malesevic 6-4, 6-2 for a 3-0 lead.
Getting the Bulldogs on the board was court 5, where the true freshman Hernandez fended off A&M's Rollins in 7-5, 6-4 fashion.
The last three matches – where MSU had dropped the first set in all – saw State battled back to force third sets in each for a chance to rally for the victory. But A&M would claim all three contests and hold off the Bulldogs' charge.
Clinching the match for Texas A&M would be the fourth-ranked Habib on court 2, where he ousted MSU's 87th-ranked Broska in a tight 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 affair. Finishing next would be court 4, where the 116th-ranked Aggie Schachter nipped MSU's Colas 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(4). Wrapping up play would be court 6 where A&M's Perot downed MSU's Ramskogler 6-2, 1-6, 6-4.
Next upon on the slate, the Bulldogs will immediately get back on the court for another battle at home. On Sunday, March 7, State will welcome No. 38 LSU to Starkville at 1 p.m. CT in another SEC showdown.
No. 11 Texas A&M 6, No. 23 Mississippi State 1
March 5, 2021
Starkville, Miss. – A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre
Doubles
1. Florian Broska/Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) vs. #48 Juan Carlos Aguilar/Bjorn Thomson (TAMU) 5-5 (susp.)
2. Hady Habib/Noah Schachter (TAMU) def. Alberto Colas/Giovanni Oradini (MSU) 6-4
3. Pierce Rollins/Valentin Vacherot (TAMU) def. Nemanja Malesevic/Nicolas Ocana (MSU) 6-3
Order of finish: 3,2
Singles
1. #13 Hady Habib (TAMU) def. #36 Giovanni Oradini (MSU) 6-2, 6-1
2. #4 Valentin Vacherot (TAMU) def. #87 Florian Broska (MSU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
3. #33 Juan Carlos Aguilar (TAMU) def. Nemanja Malesevic (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
4. #116 Noah Schachter (TAMU) def. Alberto Colas (MSU) 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(4)
5. Carles Hernandez (MSU) def. Pierce Rollins (TAMU) 7-5, 6-4
6. Raphael Perot (TAMU) def. Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
Order of finish: 1,3,5,2,4,6
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Players Mentioned
