#22 LSU Upsets #14 Bulldog Netmen 4-3
LSU got on the board early in the match by grabbing the doubles point,as State was swept in doubles for the third straight outing. Sixth-rankedTigers Mark Growcott and Ken Skupski jump-started things with an 8-4 winover 22nd-ranked Bulldogs Luiz Carvalho and Jose-Carlos Pinto at the No. 1position. Clinching the point were Tigers Jason Hazley and Peter Richman,who downed State's pair of Ivan Bjelica and Pierre Mouillon 8-5 at No. 3.
The Tigers gained a 2-0 lead in the match when Colt Gaston handedBulldog junior Florent Girod his first loss of the 2005 season after 13straight victories, claiming a 6-2, 6-2 decision at the No. 6 position. LSUwent up 3-0 when the 12th-ranked Skupski completed a 6-4, 6-2 triumph overState rookie Philippe Frayssinoux at No. 2. LSU clinched the match whenRichman bested Carvalho at the No. 3 spot 6-3, 6-1.
MSU got its first point of the afternoon when the No. 5 spot wasdefaulted to MSU's Pinto after he had claimed a lengthy first set in atiebreaker from Tiger Danny Bryan. State registered another point when thetrue freshman Mouillon kept his winning streak intact, outlasting the83rd-ranked Hazley 7-6(3), 1-6, 1-0(8) at No. 4. It was the first victoryover a ranked opponent in Mouillon's young career.
The decision at the No. 1 position would also go to the Bulldogs asBjelica rallied to upset LSU's 84th-ranked Growcott 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(1). Itbroke a three-match losing skid for the State sophomore and marked his firstcareer win at the top spot in the lineup.
"We knew this would be a tough match for us," MSU head coach SylvainGuichard said. "LSU is much, much better than No. 22 in the country. As Isaid before, they have had an extremely tough conference schedule to thispoint. They were a top 10 team earlier in the year and they still are.They've just lost to some great teams in close matches on the road. We justhave to regroup from this loss and get ready for three more importantmatches here at home. We have a lot of opportunity left in this season."
State continues its four-match homestand that ends the 2005 regularseason next weekend at the Pitts Tennis Centre during Super Bulldog Weekendactivities. MSU will entertain No. 9 Florida this Friday, April 8, at 2 p.m.and then welcome No. 34 South Carolina this Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. TheBulldogs will close out their regular season slate on Saturday, April 16,hosting fourth-ranked, arch-rival Mississippi at 1 p.m.
#22 LSU 4, #14 MISSISSIPPI STATE 3
DOUBLES - #6 Mark Growcott/Ken Skupski (LSU) def. #22 LuizCarvalho/Jose-Carlos Pinto (MSU) 8-4; #37 Danny Bryan/Colt Gaston (LSU) def.Philippe Frayssinoux/Florent Girod (MSU) 8-6; Jason Hazley/Peter Richman(LSU) def. Ivan Bjelica/Pierre Mouillon (MSU) 8-5.
SINGLES - Bjelica (MSU) def. #84 Growcott (LSU) 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(1); #12Skupski (LSU) def. Frayssinoux (MSU) 6-4, 6-2; Richman (LSU) def. Carvalho(MSU) 6-3, 6-1; Mouillon (MSU) def. #83 Hazley (LSU) 7-6(3), 1-6, 1-0(8);Pinto (MSU) def. Bryan (LSU) 7-6(4), def.; Gaston (LSU) def. Girod (MSU)6-2, 6-2.
(numbers preceding names are current national rankings)