By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Following a near month-long layoff after its 2022 season opener, the Tennessee Tech tennis team was upended in both matches of a Sunday doubleheader at No. 19 Mississippi State. The Bulldogs (7-1) collected a 6-1 win in the opener, before completing the twin bill sweep with a 4-0 nod in the second affair.
1st Match (MSU 6 TTU 1):
Elias Grubert highlighted the purple and gold's showing against its second-straight nationally ranked foe to unwrap the year, as the Parana, Argentina product secured TTU's lone point behind a 7-5, 6-2 singles triumph over Carles Hernandez in the No. 3 position. The 5-foot-8 junior was responsible for two of Tech's four set victories in the opener, with Andre Rodeia earning a 7-5 second-set win in a three-set defeat to Bautista Villicich in the No. 4 slot and Rafael Tosetto carding a 6-1 first-set nod in an eventual three-set loss to Gregor Ramskogler in the No. 5 get-together.
No. 22 Florian Broska picked up a 6-4, 7-5 triumph over Mika Berghaus in the No. 1 meeting, while Nemanja Malesevic registered a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 win against Evzen Holis in the No. 2 position and Alberto Colas knocked off Carlos Vicente with a 6-1, 6-3 victory in the No. 6 spot to round out MSU's solo attack.
The Golden Eagles (0-4) were unable to pick a win during doubles action, as the No. 38 tandem of Berghaus and Grubert fell 6-1 to Broska and Ramskogler in the No. 1 clash and Holis and Rodeia dropped a 6-1 decision to Malesevic and Davide Tortora in the No. 2 battle.
The No. 3 tilt pitting Tosetto and Jun Sasagawa and Colas and Hernandez did not finish with the duo duel deadlocked at 3-3.
2nd Match (MSU 4 TTU 0):
Singles play swung MSU's way with Bulldog triumphs in all three completed solo get-togethers. No. 22 Florian Broska won his 12th consecutive singles match with a 6-2, 6-3 nod over Evzen Holis in the No. 1 showdown, while Nemanja Malesevic defeated Mika Berghaus 6-2, 6-4 in the No. 2 position and Davide Tortora collected 6-2, 6-3 victory in the No. 6 slot.
The other three singles battles did not finish. Fresh off his first solo win of the season in Sunday's opener, Elias Grubert claimed a 6-2 victory in the opening set of the No. 3 clash over Bautsita Villicich before the second set was called with Villicich leading 4-1. Andre Rodeia and Rafael Tosetto were both upended 7-5 in the first set of their respective matchups before their affairs went unfinished early in the second set. Rodeia locked up with Gregor Ramskogler in the No. 4 spot, while Tosetto squared off with Alberto Colas in the No. 5 tilt.
Mississippi State notched wins in both completed doubles meetings, as Broska and Ramskogler took down Rodeia and Holis 6-1 in the No. 1 position and Malesevic and Tortora powered past No. 38 Berghaus and Grubert 6-3 in the No. 2 get-together.
The No. 3 duel between Tech's Tosetto and Jun Sasagawa and MSU's Colas and Carles Hernandez did not finish.
Upcoming:
Having completed a rigorous season-opening stretch of four straight matches against nationally opponents, the Golden Eagles will set their sights on a Friday, Feb. 11 match at Lipscomb. First serve in Nashville is slated for 6 p.m. CT.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
