Bulldog Netters Stay On Road; Meet Rival Mississippi Saturday
State, currently 7-9 overall, 2-6 in SEC play, has dropped six consecutive league matches. That skid has been due, in large part, to the absence of two-time, all-American senior Romain Ambert in the first four of those six contests. Ambert has been hampered by an ankle ailment for the past month. He returned to the singles lineup last weekend, but fell in straight sets in MSU's matches at Florida and South Carolina.
The Rebels (16-3, 7-2 SEC) are also looking to rebound. Like MSU, UM fell to both South Carolina and Florida on the road last weekend. Mississippi has three players ranked in the current top 85, led by fourth-ranked junior Catalin Gard. In doubles, Gard and Paul Ciorascu are the nation's seventh-ranked duo.
Following Saturday's match, State stays on the road to conclude its six-match road swing that ends the 2004 regular season. The Bulldogs will meet 17th-ranked Kentucky in Lexington next Friday, April 16, and then take on 22nd-ranked Vanderbilt in Nashville next Sunday, April 18. MSU will then compete in the 2004 SEC Championship, which will also be held in the Music City, April 22-25.