Men's Tennis Upends Mississippi State

Saturday, February 5

Louisville, Ky.

5:00 PM

University of Louisville

MISSISSIPPI STATE

February 05, 2005 | Men's Tennis

Feb. 5, 2005

The University of Louisville men's tennis team upset SEC power Mississippi State 4-3 in a hard-fought battle at Bass-Rudd Tennis Center.

U of L dropped the doubles point but won four positions in singles for the win.The Cardinals raised their record to 4-3 with the win.

"We were on the brink of losing several times but our heart and passion wouldn't allow us to lose," said U of L head coach Rex Ecarma. "MSU is arguably a Top 10 type program with a history of high seeds in the NCAA Championship. To beat such a great program in our sport is really valuable to our the growth of our program."

U of L lost No. 1 doubles 8-6 and then No. 2 doubles pair of Jhonny Berrido and Mark Kennedy were edged 9-7 by MSU's Ivan Bjelica and Florent Girod.

U of L regained momentum with Damar Johnson's No. 1 6-3, 7-6 win over Luiz Carvalho. 6-3, 7-6. At No. 2, Nicolas Houard dropped a three-set battle. U of L's Ocatavian Nicodim beat J.C. Pinto 6-1, 6-4. Berrido took his match at No. 5 with a 6-7, 6-3, 6-1 come-from-behind win, deadlocking the match at 3-3. Jakob Gustaffson pulled off a three-set win over Philippe Frayssinoux to clinch the match.

"Jakob Gustaffson did it again," said Ecarma. "He clinched the match yesterday and did it again with a three set win."


SINGLES1.) Damar Johnson (UL) def. Luiz Carvalho 6-3, 7-62.) Ivan Bjelica (NC) def. Nicolas Houard 6-2, 2-6, 6-23.) Jakob Gustaffson (UL) def. Philippe Frayssinoux 6-4, 4-6, 6-44.) Octavian Nicodim (UL) def. JC Pinto 6-1, 6-45.) Jhonny Berrido (UL) def. Pierre Mouillon 6-7, 6-3, 6-16.) Florent Girod (MS) def. Jeremy Clark 6-2, 6-4
DOUBLES1.) Carvalho/Pinto (MS) def. Clark/Gustaffson 8-62.) Bjelica/Girod (MS) def. Berrido/Kennedy (UL) 9-73.) Johnson/Tony Teufel (UL) def. Mouillon/Frayssinoux 8-3