Mississippi State
Samford
No. 28 MSU Men?s Tennis Sweeps Saturday Doubleheader
February 08, 2015 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. – In their last home non-conference matches of the 2015 season, the Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-2) earned a pair of sweeps at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre on Saturday.
State defeated Samford (0-2) and New Orleans (2-3) both to the tune of 4-0 in the Bulldogs' final tune-up before heading to the prestigious Blue Gray National Tennis Classic on Feb. 20 in Montgomery, Ala.
The Bulldogs showed dominance from start to finish in the weekend doubleheader, not dropping a match in doubles play nor relinquishing a set in completed singles contests.
Starting off the day against the visiting Bulldogs of Samford, MSU earned a pair of 6-1 doubles victories on courts one and three to earn the 1-0 advantage. State's tandem of Mate Cutura and Tassilo Schmid improved to 5-0 for the spring by downing SU's Trey Carter and Justin Ghavami at the top spot. MSU's Rishab Agarwal and Florian Lakat finished off doubles play with a victory against Samford's Fares Kilani and Eduardo Louirdo Sanchez on court three.
Play on court two was suspended with State's Julian Cash and Robin Haden leading SU's Austin Akers and Henry Moore 5-2.
MSU wasted no time in singles play against Samford, picking up three quick wins on courts one, four and five to seal the match. Cutura only gave up two games in his match on court four, downing SU's Ghavami 6-1, 6-1. Agarwal followed soon after on court five with a 6-0, 6-4 win against Samford's Sanchez.
The clinching point came at the top spot, as Lakat fended off a second-set challenge from SU's Kilani to pick up a 6-1, 6-4 victory.
Play on the remaining courts was suspended at clinch, with Estevarena (court two) up 6-4, 3-1, No. 63 Schmid (court three) down 6-2, 4-4 and Haden (court six) down 6-2, 5-4.
MSU returned to action only a few hours later against the Privateers of New Orleans, again showing no signs of letting up. Doubles play kicked off with a quick victory from MSU's Estevarena and Lakat on court one, as the New Orleans' tandem of Christoffer Appelgren and Timo Kranz had to default due to an injury, down 2-0. Cash and Haden put the nail in the coffin for State, picking up a 6-1 win on court three against UNO's Giacomo Adoncecchi and Gonzalo Garcia to win doubles.
Play on court two was suspended after the win on court three, with Cutura and Schmid leading Blake Gregor and Rui Silva 3-2.
Singles play was a short affair for the Bulldogs, as they only gave up eight total games on the three courts that wrapped the match in Maroon and White.
Estevarena only lost one of those eight games, defeating UNO's Silva 6-0, 6-1 on No. 2 to give State the 2-0 advantage. Court five followed as Agarwal defeated the Privateers' Adoncecchi 6-3, 6-1 to put MSU within one point of victory. With several courts on the verge of winning, the clincher came at the No. 6 spot, as Haden defeated UNO's Luis Albuquerque 6-1, 6-2 to give MSU the victory.
The remaining matches were suspended after the clinch. Lakat was near victory, up 6-2, 5-1 on court one. No. 63 Schmid was ahead 7-5, 1-2 on court three and Cutura was leading 6-2, 4-2 at the No. 4 position.
“Today was good for us to work on trusting each other in every moment of the match, as well as our team commitment,” MSU coach Matt Roberts said. “It's tough with doubleheaders because you're out there for so long and it's mentally draining sometimes, but we were organized and prepared and it's going to set us up with confidence heading into the Blue Gray.”
State will have next weekend off before hitting the road for the Blue Gray Classic in Montgomery, where play is set for Feb. 20-22. MSU will then open up SEC play on the road at No. 45 Alabama on Feb. 27 before returning home to host No. 19 Ole Miss on Thursday, March 5 at 5 p.m.
For more information on Mississippi State men's tennis and updates, fans can follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at HailStateMT.
No. 28 Mississippi State 4, Samford 0
February 7, 2014 – A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre – Starkville, Miss.
Doubles
1. Mate Cutura/Tassilo Schmid (MSU) def. Trey Carter/Justin Ghavami (SU) 6-1
2. Julian Cash/Robin Haden (MSU) def. Austin Akers/Henry Moore (SU) 5-2(susp.)
3. Rishab Agarwal/Florian Lakat (MSU) def. Fares Kilani/Eduardo Lourido Sanchez (SU) 6-1
Singles
1. Lakat (MSU) def. Kilani (SU) 6-1, 6-4
2. Juan Cruz Estevarena (MSU) vs. Akers (SU) 6-4, 3-1(susp.)
3. Carter (SU) vs. No. 63 Schmid (MSU) 6-2, 4-4(susp.)
4. Cutura (MSU) def. Ghavami (SU) 6-1, 6-1
5. Agarwal (MSU) def. Sanchez (SU) 6-0, 6-4
6. Jake Faundez (SU) vs. Haden (MSU) 6-2, 5-4(susp.)
Order of finish… Doubles (1,3)… Singles (4,5,1)
No. 28 Mississippi State 4, New Orleans 0
February 7, 2014 – A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre – Starkville, Miss.
Doubles
1. Juan Cruz Estevarena (MSU) def. Christoffer Appelgren/Timo Kranz (UNO) 2-0(def./inj.)
2. Mate Cutura/Tassilo Schmid (MSU) vs. Blake Gregor/Rui Silva (UNO) 3-2(susp.)
3. Julian Cash/Robin Haden (MSU) def. Giacomo Adoncecchi/Gonzalo Garcia (UNO) 6-1
Singles
1. Lakat (MSU) vs. Kranz (UNO) 6-2, 5-1(susp.)
2. Estevarena (MSU) def. Silva (UNO) 6-0, 6-1
3. No. 63 Schmid (MSU) vs. Gregor (UNO) 7-5, 1-2(susp.)
4. Cutura (MSU) vs. Garcia (UNO) 6-2, 4-2(susp.)
5. Rishab Agarwal (MSU) def. Adoncecchi (UNO) 6-3, 6-1
6. Haden (MSU) def. Luis Alburquerque (UNO) 6-1, 6-2
Order of finish… Doubles (1,3)… Singles (2,5,6)
Players Mentioned
