Bulldog Netmen Return Home To Face South Carolina Friday
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Mississippi State men's tennis team will look to extend its current three-match winning streak Friday when it returns home to host South Carolina. Match time at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre is set for 2 p.m.
The Bulldogs, ranked 47th in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association's poll, enter Friday's match having won three straight over 22nd-ranked Auburn, UNLV and Nevada. Overall, State is 7-5 this season as the Bulldogs have already matched last year's win total. 50th-ranked Senior Philippe Frayssinoux and junior Ryan Farlow have both won three straight singles matches while freshman Tanner Stump won a singles match and doubles match last week against UNLV and Nevada which earned him SEC Freshman Of The Week honors. Senior Ivan Bjelica has notched six dual match wins this spring and is currently ranked 37th nationally.
South Carolina enters Friday's matchup ranked 70th nationally. The Gamecocks are 8-6 this season but are 0-4 in conference play. USC is led by sophomore Pedro Campos who is 17-8 overall this season, including a 12-2 dual match mark. The Gamecocks are led by head coach Kent DeMars who is in his 24th year at South Carolina.
"After a week away from conference play, we have to realize what we have to do to keep our momentum going," said MSU head coach Per Nilsson. "South Carolina is a good team and we will have to play very well and fight hard if we want to win."
In 19 previous meetings in the series, MSU holds a 12-7 advantage over the Gamecocks. Last season in Starkville, State had multiple team match points but failed to close it out as USC rallied to take a 4-3 victory.
Following Friday's match, MSU will travel to Gainesville, Fla., to face 18th-ranked Florida on Sunday. That match is slated for a noon C.T. start at UF's Ring Tennis Complex.