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M. Tennis travels to MSU/Auburn

M. Tennis travels to MSU/AuburnM. Tennis travels to MSU/Auburn

March 22, 2018

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The 19th-ranked Vanderbilt men’s tennis team hits the road this weekend, taking on undefeated No. 13 Mississippi State Friday at 3 p.m. in a top-20 matchup and the Auburn Tigers Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Commodores enter the weekend with a 14-3 (4-1) record, having suffered their first Southeastern Conference loss on Sunday at home versus then-No. 12 Florida, 4-3. All three of VU’s losses have come against top-20 teams by tight 4-3 decisions (at No. 1 Wake Forest, at No. 17 Columbia and vs. No. 12 Florida).

The SEC leads all conferences with seven teams ranked in the ITA top 25: Texas A&M (6); Florida (9); Mississippi State (13); Georgia (14); Vanderbilt (19); Kentucky (21); Tennessee (25).

For updates and a behind the scenes look at the program, follow @VandyMTennis on Twitter.

Commodore Notables:

  • The Dores have been ranked in the ITA top 25 for three consecutive weeks
  • Vandy sits second in the SEC standings, alongside Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee
  • VU’s 4-1 SEC record is the best conference start in over a decade
  • Vandy capped a 10-match win streak last weekend with a win over South Carolina
  • The 10-match win streak was the longest since the 2002-03 season when the team went 27-4, won the SEC tournament and reached an NCAA championship final
  • The Dores have a trio of ranked singles players; No. 22 Cameron Klinger, No. 56 Daniel Valent and No. 100 Baker Newman
  • Klinger/Billy Rowe rank 46th in the ITA’s latest doubles poll

Stating State:

  • Mississippi State and Texas A&M remain undefeated in league action
  • MSU owns a 10-1 overall record and 4-0 SEC slate
  • State’s loss came early in the season against Oklahoma State 4-1
  • The Bulldogs are undefeated at home this season (7-0)
  • Friday’s match marks the sixth ranked opponent the Bulldogs have faced thus far this season, with State going 4-1 in the previous five matches
  • MSU boasts three ranked singles players; No. 3 Nuno Borges, No. 13 Giovanni Oradini and No. 86 Strahinja Rakic
  • Borges is the highest ranked student-athlete in the SEC
  • The Bulldogs have four ranked doubles combinations; No. 30 Niclas Braun/Oradini, No. 58
    Rakic/Borges, No. 65 Florian Broska/Trevor Foshey and No. 74 Foshey/Braun
    – Mississippi State defeated Vanderbilt 5-2 last season

Tracking the Tigers:

  • Auburn sits 9-10 overall and 0-4 against SEC opponents
  • Prior to Sunday’s 1 p.m. matinée, Auburn hosts No. 21 Kentucky Friday at 6 p.m.
  • Auburn is led by Vanderbilt multi-record holder Bobby Reynolds
  • The Tigers are in search of their first conference win, falling in their last SEC match to Alabama 4-0
  • AU’s Matteo DeVincentis ranks 109th in the ITA’s singles rankings
  • The Tigers picked up a close 4-3 victory over the Commodores in 2017