Mississippi State could not have asked for a better result in its season opener Sunday afternoon against Samford, with No. 11 MSU taking every set in a 7-0 victory.
MSU’s No. 3 doubles team of senior Dusan Milanovic and junior Michal Novansky started things off with a 6-1 victory, and the Bulldogs’ top pairing of juniors Petar Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez Martinez — ranked ninth in the nation — clinched the opening point with a 6-2 win. Freshman Niccolo Baroni and junior Mario Martinez Serrano, the No. 20 doubles team in the country, were trailing 4-2 but their match was not completed.
“I’m happy for the whole team and how we competed,” head coach Matt Roberts said. “It’s a good start. Our hard work this year is paying off. It looked like we were pretty clean.”
Baroni, in his first collegiate dual singles match, won 6-0, 6-0 at the No. 3 position to give MSU a 2-0 lead. Jovanovic and Martinez Serrano both made quick work of their opponents as the Bulldogs clinched the victory.
“It was really good,” Martinez Serrano said. “The feeling is great that all the work that we have been doing for the last four months is paying off. Everyone did a really good job. We try to compete as hard as we can and try to give our best every day.”
The remaining matches were played out and MSU completed the shutout, with Sanchez Martinez, sophomore Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes and Novansky all winning in straight sets.
MSU (1-0) is back in action Friday at home for a doubleheader against Chattanooga at noon and 4 p.m.
“It was good for everyone to get a match against a good team,” Roberts said. “We came out ready to go and executed really well on every court. Niccolo and Mario were a little bit nervous in doubles, but they responded very well in singles. I was really happy with (Jovanovic and Sanchez Martinez) playing really clean in doubles and also awesome in singles.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
