The University of Mississippi Athletics
Streak On The Line As Rebels Battle Mississippi State
4/14/2011 | Men's Tennis
April 14, 2011
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss men's tennis team was hoping the match at Mississippi State would be for the SEC West title, but a loss to Auburn last Sunday put an end to the impressive streak of nine straight SEC West titles. Still, there is a lot on the line as the Rebels battle the Bulldogs Saturday at 1 p.m. for bragging rights and to keep another streak alive.
Ole Miss has won 26 straight in the overall series, which includes 12 Mississippi Cups in a row. The Rebels defeated the Bulldogs 4-1 earlier this year in the Mississippi Cup and 4-1 last year during the regular season SEC meeting in Oxford.
"We're playing to beat them 27 times in a row. They have a lot of momentum going, and they have a very good team this year," head coach Billy Chadwick said. "It's going to be a big test for us. It's always a difficult place to play. The guys are really motivated and up for the match."
The Rebels (11-7, 5-5) are coming off the disappointing 5-2 loss to Auburn which cost them a chance to play for the SEC West title on Saturday.
"It's been a great ride. It's an impressive feat to win nine in a row," Chadwick said. "Of course you always remember the last one. This will motivate us to work harder to get the crown back."
Mississippi State enters the match with a 12-7 overall record, 7-3 in the SEC. The Bulldogs have won seven of their last nine matches, which include a 6-1 upset of fourth-ranked Tennessee.
Seniors Tucker Vorster and Kalle Norberg have been a big part of the Rebels never losing to Mississippi State during their careers.
"It's fun to beat them every time," Vorster said. "A lot of the matches have been close recently, and we expect another tough match on Saturday. They have a really good team. We'll have to be at our best."
Live scoring of the match will be available by going to www.OleMissSports.com and clicking on the link in the calendar.
