STARKVILLE, Miss. – Vanderbilt men’s tennis opened the final weekend of the regular season with a loss to SEC foe and No. 35 Mississippi State 6-1 Friday evening.
“We played a great doubles point but we were unable to keep the momentum going,” said head coach Ian Duvenhage. “We’re going to have to play much, much better on Sunday against Ole Miss.”
With new doubles teams, the Dores got off to a quick and strong start to win the opening point. Teaming up for the first time this season, fifth-year senior George Harwell and junior Joubert Klopper dominated their Bulldogs opponent, 6-1, on Court 2, to give the Dores the advantage. Another new duo for the season, sophomore Jeremie Casabon and freshman Michael Ross secured the doubles point after a 6-4 win on Court 3.
With the loss, the Dores now stand at 14-10 on the season and 2-9 in SEC play as they continue their challenging Magnolia State road trip to Ole Miss Sunday, where SEC Tournament seeding implications are at stake as the Rebels moved ahead of the Dores in SEC play (3-8) after their win against the Razorbacks Friday evening.
Doubles Domination
- Paired for the first time this season, Harwell and Klopper, downed their Bulldogs opponent 6-1 on Court 2 to get the Dores off to a quick start.
- In their first outing out as a doubles team, Casabon and Ross secured the doubles point after a 6-4 win on Court 3.
- Senior Macsen Sisam and junior Siim Troost were down 5-4 to No. 46 Florian Broska and Gregor Ramskogler on the top court when their match was called.
Sights on Singles
- Mississippi State dominated singles play, winning all six courts.
- The Bulldogs flipped the momentum and got off to a fast start, taking wins on Courts 2, 5 and 6 to take the 3-1 lead.
- Harwell, ranked 31st nationally, got off to a fast start to take the first set, 6-3, before No. 27 Florian Broska, came back strong to win the match, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, on the top court.
- Moving up to Court 3 for the first time this season, Freeman fell in the first set to his Bulldogs opponent, 6-3, before winning the second set, 6-2, to push the match to a third and final set. The Bulldogs ultimately won the match to take a 5-1 lead over the Dores.
- Senior Marcus Ferreira started off strong to win the first set tiebreaker, 7-6 (2), before his Mississippi State opponent won the final two sets on Court 4 to cap off the 6-1 for the Bulldogs.
On Deck
The Dores conclude the regular season on the road Sunday against Ole Miss at 1 p.m. SEC Tournament seeding implications are at stake as the Rebels (15-11, 3-8 SEC) moved ahead of the Dores (14-10, 2-9 SEC) in SEC play after their win against the Razorbacks Friday evening.
