MSU Netmen Upset By Blue Raiders In Indoor War
The Bulldogs (5-3) suffered their first loss ever to Middle Tennessee in the series (now 15-1) and had an eight-match home winning streak against non-conference foes broken. The Blue Raiders improved to 9-2 overall on the campaign.
Middle Tennessee got on the board first in the match, registering victories at the top two positions in doubles to claim the doubles point. The No. 2 spot finished first, with MTSU's 41st-ranked team of Brandon Allan and Kai Schledorn downing Bulldogs Ivan Bjelica and Philippe Frayssinoux 8-5. The Blue Raiders clinched the point at No. 1, where the 30th-ranked duo of Marco Born and Andreas Siljestrom edged 15th-ranked Bulldogs Luiz Carvalho and Jose-Carlos Pinto 9-8(5) to remain undefeated (11-0) this season.
Behind some big serving and a couple of comeback wins, the Blue Raiders would ultimately post victories at the top three singles positions to secure the victory.
At Nos. 1 and 2, the 6-foot-9-inch Born and the 6-10 Siljestrom would prove to be the deciding factor for Middle Tennessee in those affairs. Born posted a 7-6(5), 6-4 decision over Bjelica at No. 2, while the 86th-ranked Siljestrom rallied from a set down to take a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory from State's Carvalho at No. 1. Both Born and Siljestrom consistently bombed service winners throughout those contests, making it difficult for Carvalho and Bjelica to get much of an edge.
On court No. 3, Schledorn fought back from a set down to clinch the team win for Middle Tennessee, securing a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 triumph over the MSU rookie Frayssinoux.
The teams were on course to split sets on court 4 when play was suspended at that point, and the No. 5 and 6 positions never got underway.
State will close out its current five-match homestand this weekend, opening Southeastern Conference action. MSU will welcome No. 14 Kentucky this Friday, March 4, at 2 p.m. before hosting No. 17 Vanderbilt this Sunday, March 6, at 1 p.m.
#45 MIDDLE TENNESSEE 4, #31 MISSISSIPPI STATE 0
DOUBLES - #30 Marco Born/Andreas Siljestrom (MT) def. #15 Luiz Carvalho/Jose-Carlos Pinto (MSU) 9-8(5); #41 Brandon Allan/Kai Schledorn (MT) def. Ivan Bjelica/Philippe Frayssinoux (MSU) 8-5; Florent Girod/Pierre Mouillon (MSU) vs. Greg Pollack/Anant Sitaram (MT) 1-1, susp.
SINGLES - #86 Siljestrom (MT) def. Carvalho (MSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4; Born (MT) def. Bjelica (MSU) 7-6(5), 6-4; Schledorn (MT) def. Frayssinoux (MSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2; Pinto (MSU) vs. Sitaram (MT) 7-6(3), 2-5, susp.; Girod (MSU) vs. Pollack (MT) - did not start; Mouillon (MSU) vs. Allan (MT) - did not start.
(numbers preceding names are current national rankings)