Despite two ranked singles wins for UK, the Kentucky men’s tennis team fell to Mississippi State, 5-2, on Sunday afternoon at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. With the loss, Kentucky drops to 12-6 and 5-2 in the Southeastern Conference and Mississippi State improves to 12-1 and 6-0 in the league.
Mississippi State jumped out to an early lead after winning the doubles point. No. 31 Gus Benson and Cesar Bourgois fell to No. 59 Nuno Borges, 6-3. Shortly after, Will Bushamuka and Austin Hussey answered with a 6-3 win of their own over Florida Broska and Arvid Nordquist. MSU won the point when No. 30 Niclas Braun and Giovanni Oradini beat Ryo Matsumura and Enzo Wallart, 6-3.
Kentucky tied the match when No. 26 Ryo Matsumura breezed past the No. 3 player in the nation. Matsumura beat No. 3 Nuno Borges, 6-2, 6-3 is still perfect against ranked opponents this season and has won eight-straight matches.
MSU went up 2-1 when No. 86 Strahinja Rakic beat Enzo Wallart, 6-3, 6-4. Niclas Braun took down Trey Yates, 6-1, 7-6 (8) and Floridan Broska beat Austin Hussey, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 to clinch the win for the Bulldogs.
Two matches finished after play was clinched. Arvid Nordquist defeated Jake Stefanik, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to put the Bulldogs up 5-1.
The last match to finish was a battle. Will Bushmauka earned his second ranked win of the year after taking down No. 13 Giovanni Oradini, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6). Bushamuka is now 5-5 in dual play this year.
No. 13 Mississippi State 5, No. 21 Kentucky 2
A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre
Starkville, Miss.
March 25, 2018
Doubles
1. #58 Nuno Borges/Strahinja Rakic (MSU) def. #31 Gus Benson/Cesar Bourgois (UK) 6-3
2. #30 Niclas Braun/Giovanni Oradini (MSU) def. Ryotaro Matsumura/Enzo Wallart (UK) 6-3
3. Will Bushamuka/Austin Hussey (UK) def. Florian Broska/Arvid Nordquist (MSU) 6-3
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles
1. #26 Ryotaro Matsumura (UK) def. #3 Nuno Borges (MSU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Will Bushamuka (UK) def. #13 Giovanni Oradini (MSU) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(8)
3. #86 Strahinja Rakic (MSU) def. Enzo Wallart (UK) 6-3, 6-4
4. Niclas Braun (MSU) def. Trey Yates (UK) 6-1, 7-6(8)
5. Florian Broska (MSU) def. Austin Hussey (UK) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
6. Arvid Nordquist (MSU) def. Jake Stefanik (UK) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 2
For more information on the Kentucky men’s tennis team, follow @UKMensTennis on Twitter or Kentucky Men’s Tennis Team on Facebook.
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For more information contact:
Mike Scholze