The No. 47 TCU Men’s Tennis losing streak has been pushed to five. TCU lost 5-2 to the No. 33 Mississippi State Bulldogs Friday. The Frogs started strong, winning the doubles matches. However, in singles play the Bulldogs crushed TCU, winning on five of the six courts.
TCU won the doubles competition, 2-1, with wins on courts one and two. The 48th ranked pair of senior Emanuel Brighiu and senior Christopher Price defeated MSU’s George Coupland and Artem Ilyushin, 8-4. On the second court, junior Slah Mabarek and senior Cameron Nash defeated James Chaudry and Tanner Stump, 8-4. The sole blemish was a TCU loss on third court: Frogs’ senior Zach Nichols and junior Daniel Sanchez lost to Malte Stropp and Zach White, 8-5.
Brighiu defeated Coupland on the first court for the only singles match victory for the Frogs. The first game was a back and forth struggle, with Brighiu winning 7-5. Brighiu remained hot going into the second set. He took an early 4-1 lead. Coupland fired back taking the next game this put the score at 4-2. Coupland won the next set. Brighiu stayed strong winning the set 5-3.
“He is a good player, but I stayed tough and found a way to win,” said Brighiu after the match.
Mbarek was on the second court for TCU. He faced Artem Ilyushin, the 53rd ranked player in the nation. Mbarek got out to an early lead in the first game, up 4-2. However, Ilyushin came back, winning the next four sets, taking the game, 6-4. Mbarek was not able to keep up with Ilyushin in the next game, losing 6-3.
Nichols faced James Chaudry of Mississippi State on the third court. Chaudry was too much for Nichols, winning the first set,7-5, and the second, 6-3.
Price Malte Stropp of Mississippi State were on court four. Stropp defeated Price, 8-, in the first game, and was defeated, 6-1, in the second game.
On the fifth court, Sanchez faced Louis Cant. Cant is ranked 73rd in the nation in singles play. Cant won the first set, 6-3,.and won the second set, 6-1.
Court 6 was the first to finish. Nash lost both sets, 6-1, and 6-2 to the Bulldogs’ Zach White.
Up next
The Horned Frogs will look to reverse their losing streak on Sunday with a match at Tulsa. The Frogs will be looking for a break– four of the last five opponents are ranked in the ITA top 35.
