Netmen Jump To #14 Nationally; Girod Named SEC Player Of The Week
Having won eight of its last 10 matches, State is off to its bestoverall (10-4) and SEC (5-1) starts since 1998's NCAA semifinal squad openedthe year with marks of 12-2, 5-1.
Currently tied with fourth-ranked, arch-rival Mississippi for the SECWestern Division lead, State is tied for second overall in the SEC with theRebels, No. 8 Georgia and No. 17 Tennessee. No. 9 Florida is currently theonly undefeated team in the league at 6-0.
MSU will play its final SEC road affair of ?’05 this Friday, April 1,meeting No. 70 Arkansas in Fayetteville. MSU then returns home this Sunday,April 3, to welcome No. 22 LSU to start a four-match homestand that will endthe regular season slate. During that homestand, State will also entertainNo. 9 Florida (Apr. 8), No. 34 South Carolina (Apr. 10) and No. 4Mississippi (Apr. 16). The Florida and South Carolina matchups will be partof Super Bulldog Weekend activities.
In related news, Bulldog Florent Girod was named this week's SEC's Men'sTennis Player of the Week, as announced by the league office Tuesday. Girodwas accorded the honor based on his play this past weekend. Girod went 3-1in singles and doubles in MSU's two matches.
In State's 4-3 upset at Georgia Friday, the Belfort, France, nativeteamed with Philippe Frayssinoux in doubles to upset UGA's 51st-ranked teamof Strahinja Bobusic and Colin Purcell to help give MSU the first point ofthe match. Girod then registered a straight-set singles win over Purcell tohand State a 2-0 lead. On Sunday at Tennessee, Girod and Frayssinoux fell indoubles, but he rebounded to post a three-set singles win over Volunteer BenRogers.
The junior has been very impressive this spring. With his two singleswins over the weekend, he remained undefeated in singles in team play, now aperfect 12-0 overall, 6-0 in SEC affairs. Girod is 10-2 overall in singlesand doubles in SEC competition this spring. During his 12-match singlesstreak, he has dropped only two sets.
Girod is one of six Bulldogs to earn the SEC's weekly award since theleague initiated it for the sport of tennis in 2000. He joins Luiz Carvalho(once in 2003), Romain Ambert and Rene-Charles Combette (once each in 2002and 2003), Marco Baron (twice in 2001), and Jeremy Bayon (once in 2000) inearning the honor.