[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia is now 16-3 overall and 8-1 in SEC play with three regular season conference matches remaining.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “Mississippi State earned the win today,” said head coach Manuel Diaz. “We didn’t play our best, and Mississippi State had a lot to do with that. We had some opportunities in doubles that we didn’t take advantage of. They played very well in singles, and our guys fought hard but that wasn’t enough today. All the credit goes to Mississippi State.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] MSU (16-5, 7-2 SEC) won the doubles point with wins at Nos. 1 and 2 to take a 1-0 lead. At No. 2, State’s Mate Cutura and Tassilo Schmid beat Eric Diaz and Nathan Pasha 6-4, then No. 1-ranked Austin Smith and Ben Wagland took just their second loss of the season with a 6-4 setback to No. 14-ranked Julian Cash and Florian Lakat. The No. 3 doubles match was suspended at 5-all.
[su_spacer size=”40″] In singles, Rishab Agarwal gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Nick Wood, then No. 28 Wayne Montgomery claimed Georgia’s first point with a 7-6(4), 6-2 win over Juan Cruz Estevarena at No. 2. Cutura then came back to beat No. 18 Pasha 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 at No. 3 to extend MSU’s lead to 3-1 before Wagland topped No. 122 Schmid 6-3, 7-6(4) to cut the lead to 3-2. State clinched when No. 1-8 Lakat edged No. 31 Smith, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 at No. 1. Paul Oosterbaan trailed 5-2 in the third set when the match was clinched.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Friday’s loss was the first of the season for the Bulldogs in their seven outdoor matches.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia will be back in action when it travels to Alabama Sunday at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs will close the regular season with home matches next week against Arkansas and Ole Miss.
[su_spacer size=”40″] #26 Mississippi State 4, #6 Georgia 2
[su_spacer size=”30″] Doubles (Order of finish: 2,1)
1. #14 Julian Cash/Florian Lakat (MSU) def. #1 Austin Smith/Ben Wagland (UGA) 6-4
2. Mate Cutura/Tassilo Schmid (MSU) def. Eric Diaz/Nathan Pasha (UGA) 6-4
3. Wayne Montgomery/Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) vs. Juan Cruz Estevarena/Robin Haden (MSU) 5-5, unf.
[su_spacer size=”30″] Singles (Order of finish: 5,2,3,4,1)
1. #108 Florian Lakat (MSU) def. #31 Austin Smith (UGA), 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
2. #28 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) def. Juan Cruz Estevarena (MSU), 7-6(4), 6-2
3. Mate Cutura (MSU) def. #18 Nathan Pasha (UGA), 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
4. Ben Wagland (UGA) def. #122 Tassilo Schmid (MSU), 6-3, 7-6(4)
5. Rishab Agarwal (MSU) def. Nick Wood (UGA), 6-2, 6-2
6. Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) vs. Julian Cash (MSU), 2-6, 6-4, 5-2, unf.