No. 19 Spartans Complete Four-Win Weekend, Move to 8-0

EAST LANSING, MICH. – For the first time since 2011 the Spartans have logged eight wins to start the season after defeating Middle Tennessee State and Bellarmine, both 5-2 Sunday, going 4-0 on the home weekend.

In another double header Friday afternoon, 19^th ranked MSU beat Ball State 4-0 and Boise State 5-2. The Spartans were without freshman Aristotelis Thanos for the weekend, who was representing his home nation Greece against Romania in the Davis Cup, where he earned a win over the world's No. 265 player Nicholas David Ionel.

"It's really exciting to see the guys win four games across the weekend, especially against some tougher opponents," Head Coach Harry Jadun said. "That Middle Tennessee team is a top-25 team and for us to pick up that win especially down Aris Thanos and guys are banged up, I think it speaks to the toughness and resilience for our team."

Michigan State will be back in action Friday, Feb. 9 at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center as they take on Clemson at 6 p.m..

Experienced Spartans Hold Off Bellarmine
Despite a strong showing from the Knights in singles, the Spartan veterans boosted them to their fourth win in as many games on the weekend, going perfect through the double headers Friday and Sunday.

The Spartans swept in doubles, as grads Graydon Lair and Sebastien Collard won 6-2 at No. 1 singles and Luke Baylis combined with Josh Portnoy at No. 3 doubles. Senior Reed Crocker and junior Max Sheldon were up 5-3 when MSU earned the doubles point, marking the match unfinished.

The 59^th ranked Sheldon improved to 6-0 on the season in singles as he won handily, 6-4, 6-0 at No. 2 singles to put MSU up two. After the Knights pulled even with consecutive wins at No. 4 and No. 6 singles, the experienced Spartans pulled through.

Baylis responded with a 7-6 [7-3], 7-4 victory to put the Spartans back on top. It was the 116^th ranked Lair that powered through the third set of his match to clinch the Spartan victory with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win, moving to 3-0 on the season individually.

The match already decided, Collard's own third set win pushed the final score to 5-2 MSU, putting himself back in the win column after falling to the nation's No. 105 earlier in the day against Middle Tennessee State.

Ranked Victories Give Spartans Big Victory to Start the Day
After dropping the doubles point to Middle Tennessee, Michigan State rallied to win four of the first five singles matches, the two that clinched the win for the Spartans being ranked victories at No. 2 and No. 1 singles.

The 59^th ranked junior Max Sheldon got the Spartans on the board first, winning in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2 to remain perfect at 5-0 on the season. Sophomore David Saye followed with a straight-set victory of his own, his fourth win of the season.

In a battle at the No. 2 singles spot, ITA No. 12 graduate student Ronald Hohmann III topped Middle Tennessee's 47^th ranked Marcel Kamrowski, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6. It was a top-25 win from No. 6 Ozan Baris at No. 1 singles that would clinch the victory for MSU. The sophomore edged ITA No. 25 Leo Raquin 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 and moved to 4-0 on the season himself, his second ranked win of the season.

With the match already decided freshman Taym Alazmeh would play his match out, winning 6-7 [3-7], 6-4, 6-2 to extend the Spartans win over the Blue Raiders, 5-2.

Results
Michigan State 5 (8-0), Bellarmine 2 (1-6)
Singles
1. Sebastien Collard (MSU) def. Jack Batchelor (BELL) 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4
2. #59 Max Sheldon (MSU) def. Matthew Nice (BELL) 6-4, 6-0
3. #116 Graydon Lair (MSU) def. Vineet Ramesh (BELL) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
4. Kyle Tang (BELL) def. Josh Portnoy (MSU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Luke Baylis (MSU) def. Louie Fletcher (BELL) 7-6 (7-3), 6-4
6. Eli Wood (BELL) def. Reed Crocker (MSU) 6-2, 1-6, 6-3

Doubles
1. Graydon Lair/Sebastien Collard (MSU) def. Matthew Nice/Jack Batchelor (BELL) 6-2
2. Reed Crocker/Max Sheldon (MSU) def. Xavier Ecarma/Louie Fletcher (BELL) 5-3
3. Luke Baylis/Josh Portnoy (MSU) def. Wynn Shioi/Eli Wood (BELL) 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (2,4,6,5,3,1)

Michigan State 5 (7-0), Middle Tennessee State 2 (5-3)
Singles
1. #6 Ozan Baris (MSU) def. #25 Leo Raquin (MTSU) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
2. #12 Ronald Hohmann (MSU) def. #47 Marcel Kamrowski (MTSU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
3. #105 Ondrej Horak (MTSU) def. Sebastien Collard (MSU) 7-5, 6-4
4. Taym Alazmeh (MSU) def. Shu Matsuoka (MTSU) 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-2
5. David Saye (MSU) def. Demis Taramonlis (MTSU) 6-3, 6-2
6. #59 Max Sheldon (MSU) def. Jakub Kroslak (MTSU) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles
1. Javier Cueto Ramos/Jakub Kroslak (MTSU) def. #45 Ronald Hohmann/Sebastien Collard (MSU) 6-0
2. Leo Raquin/Ondrej Horak (MTSU) def. Ozan Baris/Taym Alazmeh (MSU) 6-4
3. Max Sheldon/Graydon Lair (MSU) def. Karim Al-Amin/Shu Matsuoka (MTSU) 6-1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (6,5,3,2,1,4)

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Team Stats

Players Mentioned

Taym Alazmeh

Ozan Baris

Luke Baylis

Sebastien Collard

Reed Crocker

Ronald Hohmann

Graydon Lair

Josh Portnoy

David Saye

Max Sheldon

Aristotelis Thanos