Bulldog Netters Set To Start SEC Slate This Weekend
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State's 39th-ranked men's tennisteamwill open the Southeastern Conference portion of its 2005 schedule thisweekend, hosting a pair of SEC Eastern Division teams at the A.J. PittsTennis Centre on campus. The Bulldogs will welcome 12th-ranked KentuckyFriday at 2 p.m. and entertain 31st-ranked Vanderbilt Sunday at 1 p.m.
State, 5-3 overall thus far on the campaign, is coming off its onlyhomesetback of the season, falling to No. 45 Middle Tennessee this pastSunday.The Bulldogs are led by the 15th-ranked doubles team of Luiz CarvalhoandJose-Carlos Pinto. In singles, junior Florent Girod is a perfect 6-0thisseason in team competition.
Friday's opponent, Kentucky, will bring a 7-3 mark into Starkville,having won its last three outings. The Wildcats have won the last threemeetings in the series with MSU. State's last victory over UK came in2002in Lexington. UK is led by senior Jesse Witten, currently ranked thirdnationally in singles.
Vanderbilt will enter its match at Mississippi Friday with an 8-1overall mark. The Commodores' only setback this season came at No. 73Purduelast weekend. VU is paced by senior Scott Brown, currently rated 40thnationally.
"Kentucky and Vanderbilt will be two big matches for us to start theSECschedule with," MSU head coach Sylvain Guichard said. "We stronglyencourageour fans to come out and cheer us on both days."
Following this weekend's play, State hits the road for four straightSECmatchups beginning with a trip through the state of Alabama at15th-rankedAuburn (Mar. 11) and No. 45 Alabama (Mar. 13).