MSU Tennis Serves Up Against Top 25 Florida At Home On Saturday
MSU men's tennis will host its second match that is a part of its 2011 Sorority Challenge where each MSU sorority will take part in hosting a match. This Saturday the Phi Mu sorority and the Chi Omega sorority will be hosting the match against the Gators.
The Bulldogs enter the match with a 9-5 overall record, 4-1 record in SEC play and are riding the wave of a four-match win streak and are winners in five of their last six. Florida is 11-5 overall and also 4-1 in conference play but the Gators are coming off two 4-3 losses to No. 3 Southern California and No. 23 Ole Miss.
State is fresh off a dominant 7-0 win on Wednesday against 41st-ranked Nebraska. The Bulldogs compiled fourth 7-0 victory of the season and second-straight by taking down the Cornhuskers. MSU not only won 7-0 but swept the doubles point and are now a perfect 5-0 this season when claiming the opening doubles point.
Three different Bulldogs recently achieved their fourth-straight win with Malte Stropp, Zach White and No. 92 nationally ranked Louis Cant all achieving that impressive mark. No. 85 nationally ranked Artem Ilyushin just achieved his 30th career dual match victory with his match-clinching win against the visiting Cornhuskers. Bulldog sophomore James Chaudry is a stellar 9-1in dual match play and has won 11 of his last 12 matches.
In doubles MSU is led by No. 69 nationally ranked tandem of Cant and Stropp who are fresh off their upset victory against Nebraska and have won two-straight and three of their last four. MSU's duo of Ilyshin and White are a perfect 3-0 against SEC opponents this season.
Florida's Coach Andy Jackson is the former MSU coach and led the Maroon and White from 1989-2001. All of Florida's players that have participated in dual match play have at least a .500 record or better and are led by Nassim Slilam who is 12-3, playing primarily at the No. 3 and 4 positions this season. The Gators Alexandre Lacroix stands at No. 6 nationally and has achieved an 11-5 dual match record. Sekou Bangoura Jr. ranks 39th nationally and is 11-4 in dual match play.
Florida has been solid in doubles play this season, winning 11 doubles point in the 16 matches played. The Gators boast three ranked doubles teams including 16th-ranked Lacroix and Slilam, followed by 46th-ranked Bangoura Jr. and Lacroix and No. 56 Michael Alford and Bangoura Jr.
The Bulldogs and Gators will serve it up at 1 p.m. at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre where admission is free to all MSU home tennis matches and live stats will be available at www.mstateathletics.com.