March 21, 2008

STARKVILLE, Miss. – The University of South Carolina men’s tennis team suffered a 4-2 setback to No. 47 Mississippi State on Friday in Southeastern Conference action. The Gamecocks fall to 8-7, 0-5 SEC with the loss, while the Bulldogs improve to 8-5, 2-3 in league play.

Mississippi State won at the No. 1 and 3 singles positions to easily take the point. The team of Ivan Bjelica and Philippe Frayssinoux claimed an 8-4 victory over Carolina’s Pedro Campos and Yevgeny Supeko on court one and Ryan Doerr and Tanner Stump earned an 8-1 win on court three over Johannes Pulsfort and David Wolff to clinch the point.

The Bulldog momentum continued into singles action, as Bjelica claimed a speedy victory at No. 1 over Supeko, 6-0, 6-1 to extend the Mississippi State lead. The Gamecocks answered, as Carolina’s Ivan Cressoni followed with a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 5 over Antonio Lastre and Campos collected a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 3 over Chris Doerr to knot the match at 2-2.

Mississippi State regained its composure, collecting victories at the No. 2 and 4 positions to clinch the match. Frayssinoux defeated Cubas, 6-4, 6-2, on court two and Ryan Farlow claimed a 6-1, 6-4 decision over Pulsfort on court four for the deciding point.

South Carolina continues SEC play on Sunday, hosting fifth-ranked Mississippi at 12 p.m. at the Sam Daniel Tennis Facility. Live stats will be available via www.GamecocksOnline.com.

Mississippi State 4, South Carolina 2
Doubles
#1 Bjelica/Frayssinoux def. Campos/Supeko, 8-4
#2 Farlow/Necajevs vs. Cubas/Cuellar, MSU led 7-4, susp.
#3 Doerr/Stump def. Pulsfort/Wolff, 8-1 3

Singles
#1 #37 Ivan Bjelica def. Yevgeny Supeko, 6-0, 6-1
#2 #50 Philippe Frayssinoux def. Diego Cubas, 6-4, 6-2
#3 Pedro Campos def. Chris Doerr, 6-2, 6-4
#4 Ryan Farlow def. Johannes Pulsfort, 6-1, 6-4
#5 Ivan Cressoni def. Antonio Lastre, 6-3, 6-2
#6 Artem Kuznetsov vs. David Wolff, USC led 7-6(3), 2-2, susp.