Mississippi State University Team Page
SEATTLE, Wash. - On the last day of play at the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, the No. 10 Mississippi State men's tennis squad (8-2) dropped a tough 4-2 decision to in-state rival No. 12 Ole Miss (5-2) Sunday at the Seattle Tennis Club.
The loss snapped the Bulldogs' four-match winning streak against their in-state foes.
As always, the matchup between the two rivals was thrilling from start to finish, with an exciting battle for the doubles point starting things off. Ole Miss jumped on the board first, with the No. 16-ranked tandem of Jonas Lutjen and Nik Scholtz defeating State's 13th-ranked Jordan Angus and Malte Stropp 8-4 at the top spot. State equalized with an 8-4 victory from the freshmen duo of Romain Bogaerts and Pedro Dumont against UM's Johan Backstrom and Stefan Lindmark at No. 3, leaving court 2 as the deciding match.
Ole Miss' No. 25 team of William Kallberg and Adrian Forberg Skogeng held a 7-5 lead against MSU's Zach White and Ethan Wilkinson, looking to serve out the match. However, White and Wilkinson held and then earned a break to force a tiebreaker. After getting down 2-0 early, Ole Miss would strike back in the breaker, taking the match and the doubles point 8-7(2).
MSU freshman Jordan Angus dominated UM's Backstrom in straight sets 6-0, 6-3 at the No. 4 spot to open singles and tie the overall score at 1-1. Ole Miss answered back with a key victory on court 1, with No. 24 Scholtz defeating No. 19 Bogaerts 6-4, 6-2.
Bulldog freshman Stefan Vinti then dropped his match to UM's Lindmark 6-4, 6-1 to give the Rebels a 2-1 lead. However, State senior James Chaudry would fire right back with an impressive 6-0, 1-6, 6-2 victory against No. 40 Kallberg at the No. 3 position to cut UM's lead to 3-2.
The match would be clinched on court 6, as State's White dropped a tough 7-6(5), 6-3 decision to Ole Miss' Skogeng, clinching the 4-2 win for the Rebels.
Play on court two would be suspended at that point, with MSU's No. 43 Stropp and UM's No. 6 Lutjen tied at 2-2 in the third set.
State will return to action next weekend at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre, hosting Samford Saturday, Feb. 23, at 11 a.m. CT, and Middle Tennessee Sunday, Feb. 24, at 12 p.m.
For more information on Mississippi State men's tennis, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter (www.twitter.com/mstatemt) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/mstatemt).
No. 12 Ole Miss 4, No. 10 Mississippi State 2 - ITA National Team Indoor Championship
February 17, 2013 - Seattle Tennis Club - Seattle, Wash.
Doubles
1) No. 16 Jonas Lutjen/Nik Scholtz (UM) def. No. 13 Jordan Angus/Malte Stropp (MSU) 8-4
2) No. 25 William Kallberg/Adrian Skogeng (UM) def. Zach White/Ethan Wilkinson (MSU) 8-7(2)
3) Romain Bogaerts/Pedro Dumont (MSU) def. Johan Backstrom/Stefan Lindmark (UM) 8-4
Singles
1) No. 24 Scholtz (UM) def. No. 19 Bogaerts (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
2) No. 43 Stropp (MSU) vs. No. 6 Lutjen (UM) 6-2, 3-6, 2-2 (susp.)
3) James Chaudry (MSU) def. Kallberg (UM) 6-0, 1-6, 6-2
4) Angus (MSU) def. Backstrom (UM) 6-0, 6-3
5) Lindmark (UM) def. Stefan Vinti (MSU) 6-4, 6-1
6) Skogeng (UM) def. White (MSU) 7-6(5), 6-3
Order of finish... Doubles (1,3,2)... Singles (4,1,5,3,6)