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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
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Mississippi St
Rebel Netters Defeat Mississippi State
2/10/2000 | Men's Tennis
Feb. 10, 2000
JACKSON, Miss. - National tennis powers Ole Miss and Mississippi State produced another classic battle in their storied rivalry Thursday night, with the No. 5 nationally-ranked Rebels holding off a charge from the 13th-ranked Bulldogs 4-2 at the River Hills Tennis Club in front of a standing room crowd. It was the Rebels' first win in the three-year old River Hills Cup match.
"It was huge winning the tiebreakers, especially in doubles," head coach Billy Chadwick said. "It goes back to our experience on the team. I am proud of the guys for battling through the pressure situations and coming out on top. After losing the first two cups, it is great to finally win one."
In a contest that saw the Rebels have to win four tiebreakers, Ole Miss took the opening doubles point on the strength of two of those breakers with 9-8 victories at the No. 1 and 2 positions. State won 8-6 at the No. 3 spot.
The Rebels then took a 2-0 lead when senior Vikrant Chadha downed t80th-ranked Jerome LeBelicard 6-2, 6-4 at No. 3 singles. State closed the gap with wins at the top two spots to make it 2-2. Seventh-ranked Marco Baron beat James Shortall in straight sets 6-3, 6-3, and then 92nd-ranked Jeremy Bayon handed freshman Alexander Hartman, ranked No. 43 in the nation, a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 loss at No. 2 singles.
Ole Miss regained the lead at 3-2 when 96th-ranked Kristofer Stahlberg bested Bulldog David Ruiz 6-2, 6-4 at the No. 4 spot.
With the last two matches on the court, the Rebels won first-set tiebreakers at the No. 5 and 6 positions. Junior Anders Stenman defeated 83rd-ranked Bulldog Charles Sevigny 7-6(3), 6-3 at the No. 6 position to clinch the win.
DOUBLES
#1 Vikrant Chada/James Shortall (UM) def. #8 Marco Baron/Charles Sevigny (MSU) 9-8(3)
#2 Jerome Le Belicard/David Ruiz (MSU) def. Jerome Le Belicard/David Ruiz (MSU) 9-8(4)
#3 Jeremy Bayon/Rene-Charles Combette (MSU) def. Martin Selin/Kristofer Stahlberg (UM) 8-6.
SINGLES
#1 Baron (MSU) def. Shortall (UM) 6-3, 6-3
#2 Bayon (MSU) def. Hartman (UM) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
#3 Chadha (UM) def. Le Belicard (MSU) 6-2, 6-4
#4 Stahlberg (UM) def. Ruiz (MSU) 6-2, 6-4
#5 Combette (MSU) vs. Selin (UM)--suspended
#6 Stenman (UM) def. Sevigny (MSU) 7-6(3), 6-3
