Men's Tennis Caps Doubleheader with Sweep Over Niagara

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State men's tennis moved to 3-1 on the season with wins over Ball State (4-2) and Niagara (7-0) on Saturday afternoon inside the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility.

The Spartans rallied in their first match of the day after losing the doubles point with four singles wins on courts one, three, five and six. MSU made quick work of Niagara in the nightcap, sweeping the Purple Eagles 7-0 to move to 3-1 on the young season.

"I liked the challenge, I didn't feel comfortable going down 1-0 against Ball State but we responded and gutted out a good win," said MSU men's tennis head coach Gene Orlando. " In the second match (Niagara), we just got off to a good start, which is one of our goals, and contained control of the doubles point and then we took care of business in singles."

Ball State

Ball State clinched the doubles point over the Spartans with wins on courts one and three. Eli Herran and Bryce Bonin knocked off junior Josh Mukherjee and freshman Kazuki Matsuno on court three, 6-2, and Chris Adams and Vince Orlando followed with a 6-1 win in the top slot over junior John Carlin and sophomore Anthony Pero. Freshman duo Jarreau Campbell and Drew Keene trailed Danilo Kovacevic and Parrish Simmons on court two, 5-3, before going unfinished.

The Spartans raced out to two-straight wins in singles action, with wins on courts three and five. Sophomore Carson Gates rolled in his second dual win of the season, downing Thibault De Negri in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, on court three. Mukherjee followed on court five with a straight set victory of his own, 6-3, 6-3, over Simmons on court six.

Ball State freshman Vince Orlando, the son of MSU men's tennis head coach Gene Orlando, tallied Ball State's lone singles win of the day on court four, knocking off Campbell 6-2, 6-4 to tie the match at two.

"It was bittersweet (coaching with his son Vince on the other team), that's kind of been the slogan for the week," said Orlando. "When we were getting closer to the date, it became more professional. We weren't communicating as much, and when he came in he had his business and I had my business. You get tunnel vision and you focus on what you have to do. I think he did a very good job of that and I think that helped him play as well as he did. I wasn't expecting him to be dominant like he was in singles and doubles, but kudos to him. It's a perfect storm I guess. Obviously wanted my guy to win. The Spartans win and my son (Vince) wins, makes it a win-win."

MSU finished the match with wins by Matsuno on court six and Carlin on the top court. On court five, Matsuno trailed early before rallying to take the first set, 7-5, over Herran. The freshman rolled in the second set, 6-2, to give the Spartans a 3-2 lead. Carlin went back-and-forth with Kovacevic on court one, with the pair trading games early and often to force a tiebreaker in the first. Carlin took control in the tiebraker early and came out with a 7-2 win before taking the second set, 6-4, to clinch the match for the Spartans.

Pero and Adams traded sets (4-6, 6-3) on court two before play was stopped.

Niagara

Michigan State bounced back in doubles in its evening match with Niagara, clinching the point with wins on courts one and three. Mukherjee and Matsuno got back in the win column with a dominant 6-0 win on court three over Bruno Goncalves and Pere Padrio. Freshman duo Keene and Campbell tallied a 6-2 win on court two over Jorge Sedeno and Manuel Alonso to clinch the doubles point for the Spartans. Pero and Carlin finished out their match on court one after the clinch, taking down Darrel Harxhi and Josh Wilson, 6-3.

The Spartans rolled from top to bottom in singles action, grabbing wins on all six courts. Gates, native of Kansas City, Missouri, grabbed his second singles win of the day in dominant fashion, 6-1, 6-1, over Wilson in the number three slot to put MSU up 2-0 over the Purple Eagles. Keene tallied his first dual victory as a Spartan in the number four slot, recording a straight-set victory (6-4, 6-1) over Alonso. Campbell followed shortly after on court six with his first dual win of the season on court five with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Goncalves to clinch the 4-0 win for the Spartans.

MSU tallied wins on courts one, two and five to complete the 7-0 sweep over the Purple Eagles. Pero was tested early in the first set against Sedeno, but rallied to take the set (7-5) and the match, 7-5, 6-2, giving MSU a 5-0 lead. On court one, Carlin rolled to a straight set 6-4, 6-3 over Harxhi and Matsuno ended the night with a 6-2, 6-4 win overVillalpando.

Michigan State returns to action next Friday, Jan. 31 when it travels to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to take on Penn at 2 p.m. inside the Penn Tennis Center.

Michigan State 4, Ball State 2

Doubles Results

1. Chris Adams/Vince Orlando (BSU) def. John Carlin/Anthony Pero (MSU), 6-1

2. Danilo Kovacevic/Parrish Simmons (BSU) vs. Jarreau Campbell/Drew Keene, 5-3, unfinished

3. Eli Herran/Bryce Bonin (BSU) def. Josh Mukherjee/Kazuki Matsuno (MSU), 6-2

Singles Results

1. John Carlin (MSU) def. Danilo Kovacevic (BSU), 7-6(2), 6-4

2. Anthony Pero (MSU) vs. Chris Adams (BSU), 4-6, 6-3, unfinished

3. Carson Gates (MSU) def. Thibault De Negri (BSU), 6-1, 6-2

4. Vince Orlando (BSU) def. Jarreau Campbell (MSU), 6-2, 6-4

5. Josh Mukherjee (MSU) def. Parrish Simmons (BSU), 6-3, 6-3

6. Kazuki Matsuno (MSU) def. Eli Herran (BSU), 7-5, 6-2

Match Notes:

Ball State 1-2

Michigan State 2-1

Order of Finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,4,5,6,1)

Michigan State 7, Niagara 0

Doubles Results

1. John Carlin/Anthony Pero (MSU) def. Darrel Harxhi/Josh Wilson (NU), 6-3

2. Jarreau Campbell/Drew Keene (MSU ) def. Jorge Sedeno/Manuel Alonso (NU), 6-2

3. Josh Mukherjee/Kazuki Matsuno (MSU) def. Bruno Goncalves/Pere Padrio (NU), 6-0

Singles Results

1. John Carlin (MSU) def. Darrel Harxhi (NU), 6-4, 6-3

2. Anthony Pero (MSU) def. Jorge Sedeno (NU), 7-5, 6-2

3. Carson Gates (MSU) def. Josh Wilson (NU), 6-1, 6-1

4. Drew Keene (MSU) def. Manuel Alonso (NU), 6-4, 6-1

5. Kazuki Matsuno (MSU) def. Eduardo Villalpando (NU), 6-2, 6-4

6. Jarreau Campbell (MSU) def. Bruno Goncalves (NU), 6-2, 6-3

Match Notes:
Niagara 0-2
Michigan State 3-1
Order of Finish: (3, 2, 1); Singles: (3, 4, 2, 6, 1, 5)

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Team Stats

Players Mentioned

Jarreau Campbell

John Carlin

Carson Gates

Drew Keene

Kazuki Matsuno

Josh Mukherjee

Anthony Pero