Friday, April 7
Starkville
3:00 PM
Mississippi State
4
vs
3
Texas A&M
Vaughn Hunter and Mate Cutura clinched the doubles point for MSU to kick off action
Bulldogs Earn 4-3 Upset Over No. 7 Texas A&M
April 07, 2017 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. – In a match that was chocked-full of excitement, the 18th-ranked Mississippi State men's tennis team (16-5, 7-2 SEC) handed No. 7 Texas A&M (16-5, 9-1 SEC) its first conference loss of the season as MSU kicked off Super Bulldog Weekend with a 4-3 win.
Friday's win for MSU was its first against TAMU since 2013 as the victory snapped a five-match skid against the Aggies.
"What a great effort by our guys today," head coach Matt Roberts said. "Our team did an amazing job of feeding off the fans and using that energy to their advantage. Texas A&M is a great team and they were on a roll heading into today, so this is a huge win for us."
The win for the Bulldogs moved MSU's record to 16-5 on the season and 7-2 in SEC play, while TAMU dropped to 16-5 overall and 9-1 in league play. The win for State was its second of the season against a top-10 foe, with the first coming over No. 7 Northwestern on Feb. 21.
Friday's match began with a tight doubles session that saw the Bulldogs prevail with the early point. Nuno Borges and Strahinja Rakic claimed the first result of the afternoon, as the Bulldog pair downed TAMU's Max Lunkin and Aleksandre Bakshi, 6-3. Following the win on court three, the senior duo of Mate Cutura and Vaughn Hunter would clinch the doubles point after defeating Jordi Arconada and Hady Habib, 7-5.
"I'm so proud with how our seniors played today," Roberts said. "They want to finish out strong and they've done that in doubles here lately with some great wins."
The victory for Cutura and Hunter was the pair's third straight, while the senior duo earned its team-best fifth conference win in doubles play. MSU's No. 21 Niclas Braun and Trevor Foshey's match against No. 77 Arthur Rinderknech and AJ Catanzariti was suspended at 6-6.
MSU carried the early lead into singles play as the Bulldogs captured four of the first six sets from the Aggies. TAMU would strike back on court five as Habib downed Giovanni Oradini, 6-3, 6-4 to even the match at 1-1. The score would be even at 1-1, but not for long as the Bulldogs would ride a wave of momentum to take three-straight matches.
The first win would come on court six after Foshey muscled past Bakshi, 6-0, 7-5, before No. 122 Rakic would down No. 123 AJ Catanzariti, 6-4, 6-3, seconds later to put MSU up 3-1. On court one, No. 4 Borges would fight back from a 3-0 deficit in the second set to take down No. 8 Rinderknech, 6-2, 7-5, and clich the win for MSU.
"All three of those wins were similar in the way they played out," Robert said. "All three guys had to overcome some adversity in the second set and all three guys played up to the crowd well. Our team has had to learn how to do that this season and I think you can finally see it in their games with how much fun they have out there."
The Aggies were able to take matches over Braun and Cutura to close the margin of victory for MSU at 4-3. No. 58 Arconada downed Cutura in three sets, 4-6, 6-1, 6-0, while Valentin Vacherot took a close decision from Braun, 7-6(1), 6-7(5), 1-0(6).
Up Next
The Bulldogs will host LSU on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT in the regular season's final home match. The contest will serve as Senior Day for Mate Cutura and Vaughn Hunter; recognition for the two Bulldogs will begin at approximately 12:50 p.m. CT.
Additional Notes
Social Media
For more information on the Mississippi State men's tennis program, follow "HailStateMT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
No. 18 Mississippi State 4, No. 7 Texas A&M 3
April 7, 2017 – Starkville – A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre
Doubles
1. No. 21 Niclas Braun/Trevor Foshey (MSU) vs. No. 77 Arthur Rinderknech/AJ Catanzariti (TAMU) suspended, 6-6
2. Mate Cutura/Vaughn Hunter (MSU) def. Jordi Arconada/Hady Habib (TAMU) 7-5
3. Nuno Borges/Strahinja Rakic (MSU) def. Max Lunkin/Aleksandre Bakshi (TAMU) 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 2
Singles
1. No. 4 Nuno Borges (MSU) def. No. 8 Arthur Rinderknech (TAMU) 6-2, 7-5*
2. No. 58 Jordi Arconada (TAMU) def. Mate Cutura (MSU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-0
3. No. 122 Strahinja Rakic (MSU) def. No. 123 AJ Catanzariti (TAMU) 6-4, 6-3
4. Valentin Vacherot (TAMU) 7-6(1), 6-7(5), 1-0(6)
5. Hady Habib (TAMU) def. Giovanni Oradini (MSU) 6-3, 6-4
6 Trevor Foshey (MSU) def. Aleksandre Bakshi (TAMU) 6-0, 7-5
Order of finish: 5, 3, 6, 1, 2, 4
* - Match-clinching win
Friday's win for MSU was its first against TAMU since 2013 as the victory snapped a five-match skid against the Aggies.
"What a great effort by our guys today," head coach Matt Roberts said. "Our team did an amazing job of feeding off the fans and using that energy to their advantage. Texas A&M is a great team and they were on a roll heading into today, so this is a huge win for us."
The win for the Bulldogs moved MSU's record to 16-5 on the season and 7-2 in SEC play, while TAMU dropped to 16-5 overall and 9-1 in league play. The win for State was its second of the season against a top-10 foe, with the first coming over No. 7 Northwestern on Feb. 21.
Friday's match began with a tight doubles session that saw the Bulldogs prevail with the early point. Nuno Borges and Strahinja Rakic claimed the first result of the afternoon, as the Bulldog pair downed TAMU's Max Lunkin and Aleksandre Bakshi, 6-3. Following the win on court three, the senior duo of Mate Cutura and Vaughn Hunter would clinch the doubles point after defeating Jordi Arconada and Hady Habib, 7-5.
"I'm so proud with how our seniors played today," Roberts said. "They want to finish out strong and they've done that in doubles here lately with some great wins."
The victory for Cutura and Hunter was the pair's third straight, while the senior duo earned its team-best fifth conference win in doubles play. MSU's No. 21 Niclas Braun and Trevor Foshey's match against No. 77 Arthur Rinderknech and AJ Catanzariti was suspended at 6-6.
MSU carried the early lead into singles play as the Bulldogs captured four of the first six sets from the Aggies. TAMU would strike back on court five as Habib downed Giovanni Oradini, 6-3, 6-4 to even the match at 1-1. The score would be even at 1-1, but not for long as the Bulldogs would ride a wave of momentum to take three-straight matches.
The first win would come on court six after Foshey muscled past Bakshi, 6-0, 7-5, before No. 122 Rakic would down No. 123 AJ Catanzariti, 6-4, 6-3, seconds later to put MSU up 3-1. On court one, No. 4 Borges would fight back from a 3-0 deficit in the second set to take down No. 8 Rinderknech, 6-2, 7-5, and clich the win for MSU.
"All three of those wins were similar in the way they played out," Robert said. "All three guys had to overcome some adversity in the second set and all three guys played up to the crowd well. Our team has had to learn how to do that this season and I think you can finally see it in their games with how much fun they have out there."
The Aggies were able to take matches over Braun and Cutura to close the margin of victory for MSU at 4-3. No. 58 Arconada downed Cutura in three sets, 4-6, 6-1, 6-0, while Valentin Vacherot took a close decision from Braun, 7-6(1), 6-7(5), 1-0(6).
Up Next
The Bulldogs will host LSU on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT in the regular season's final home match. The contest will serve as Senior Day for Mate Cutura and Vaughn Hunter; recognition for the two Bulldogs will begin at approximately 12:50 p.m. CT.
Additional Notes
- The win snapped Texas A&M's five-match win streak over MSU
- MSU is 2-2 against top-10 foes this season
- State is 7-2 at home this season
- When winning the doubles point, the Bulldogs are 9-2 this season
- State is a perfect 4-0 when winning the doubles point at home
- Head coach Matt Roberts is now fifth place all-time in career coaching wins at MSU
- No. 4 Nuno Borges leads the Bulldogs in singles play with a 26-5 record overall
- For his career, Borges is 16-1 at home in singles action
- Borges is now 3-1 against top-10 foes in singles play
- Borges has clinched both of MSU's top-10 wins this season
- Strahinja Rakic ranks second on the team with a 16-8 singles record overall
Social Media
For more information on the Mississippi State men's tennis program, follow "HailStateMT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
No. 18 Mississippi State 4, No. 7 Texas A&M 3
April 7, 2017 – Starkville – A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre
Doubles
1. No. 21 Niclas Braun/Trevor Foshey (MSU) vs. No. 77 Arthur Rinderknech/AJ Catanzariti (TAMU) suspended, 6-6
2. Mate Cutura/Vaughn Hunter (MSU) def. Jordi Arconada/Hady Habib (TAMU) 7-5
3. Nuno Borges/Strahinja Rakic (MSU) def. Max Lunkin/Aleksandre Bakshi (TAMU) 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 2
Singles
1. No. 4 Nuno Borges (MSU) def. No. 8 Arthur Rinderknech (TAMU) 6-2, 7-5*
2. No. 58 Jordi Arconada (TAMU) def. Mate Cutura (MSU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-0
3. No. 122 Strahinja Rakic (MSU) def. No. 123 AJ Catanzariti (TAMU) 6-4, 6-3
4. Valentin Vacherot (TAMU) 7-6(1), 6-7(5), 1-0(6)
5. Hady Habib (TAMU) def. Giovanni Oradini (MSU) 6-3, 6-4
6 Trevor Foshey (MSU) def. Aleksandre Bakshi (TAMU) 6-0, 7-5
Order of finish: 5, 3, 6, 1, 2, 4
* - Match-clinching win
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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