Bulldog Tennis Breaks Into Top 10 For First Time Since 1999
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Following an impressive SEC weekend sweep of Florida and South Carolina, Mississippi State's men's tennis squad broke into the top 10 (coming in at No. 10) of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings Tuesday for the first time since a No. 3 ranking in March of 1999.
Following the Bulldogs' 2011 run, during which they claimed the SEC Western Division title and a second round finish in the NCAA Championship, MSU has followed up with an impressive 14-4 start to the 2012 spring campaign and a 5-1 record in SEC play.
This past weekend's wins over the Gators and Gamecocks boosted the Bulldogs into sole leadership of the SEC West. MSU's win over Florida was the program's first since 2001 and their first in Gainesville since 1998.
A trio of seniors have contributed the team's success this season including 15th-ranked Artem Ilyushin, No. 44 Louis Cant and 46th-ranked George Coupland who have a combined 40-8 dual-match record and 14-4 in SEC play this spring. Ilyushin is now on a four-match win streak while posting a 6-0 record in SEC play thus far. With a 12-3 mark in dual-match play this spring, Ilyushin has ousted nine ranked foes, six of those coming against opponents ranked in the top-40.
Cant began the season on an impressive 11-0 run with an impressive 14-2 slate thus far. Clinching in the past two matches for the Bulldogs, Cant posted an impressive 4-0 slate in singles and doubles combined last weekend. Coupland is also on a similar pace as he has earned a 14-3 record in dual-match play this spring while clinching in two matches thus far.
67th-ranked sophomore Malte Stropp has battled steadily for the Bulldogs as he has earned a 3-3 SEC record this spring with a career 12-4 SEC slate.
In doubles, the No. 32 pair of Cant and Stropp have earned a 5-1 record in SEC play this spring, clinching in two matches thus far. For the first time this season, the duo of Coupland and Ilyushin have broken into the rankings earning a No. 43 mark in the country.
Mississippi State hosts a pair of SEC West foes in 27th-ranked LSU on Friday at 2 p.m. CT and the No. 39 Razorbacks of Arkansas at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday.
Sunday's match against the Hogs is Senior Day when MSU will honor Cant, Coupland and Ilyushin, who will be ending their stellar careers this season.