Bryde Clinches Georgia Win At Mississippi State

Sunday, March 6

Starkville, MS

2 p.m.ET/1 p.m. CT

University of Georgia

Mississippi State

Photo by: Steven Colquitt

March 06, 2022 | Men's Tennis

STARKVILLE, Miss. — With a backhand passing shot winner on his seventh match point, Georgia men's tennis senior Trent Bryde won in three sets at No. 4 singles and provided the clinching victory in the No. 22-ranked Bulldogs' 5-2 win over No. 24 Mississippi State on Sunday afternoon at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.

Facing State's Bautista Vilicich, Bryde was unable to serve out the match leading 5-2 in the third set, but serving again at 5-4, with the game tied 40-all — another match point for Bryde and a break point for Vilicich — Bryde whipped a crosscourt backhand past Vilicich to close out a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory to cap a strong start to SEC play for the Bulldogs.

Georgia (10-3, 2-0 SEC) opened conference play on Friday at Vanderbilt, beating the Commodores 4-2. Georgia is now 62-15 all-time against Mississippi State.

"I'm extremely proud of the fight in this group of guys," Georgia head coach Manuel Diaz said. "Our team got better today. Our boys fought a very good fight when we lost the doubles point and we were in a dogfight in singles, and we finish strong."

At the end of three tight doubles matches, Mississippi State (9-5, 0-2) came away with the point and a 1-0 lead. At No. 3, State's Alberto Colas and Carles Hernandez edged Erik Grevelius and Blake Croyder, 6-4. At No. 2, Georgia's Bryde and Philip Henning and State's Nemanja Malesevic and Davide Tortora headed to a tiebreaker, where the State squad prevailed, capturing the set 7-6 (7-5) and the doubles point.

Miguel Perez Peña got Georgia on the scoreboard with a strong showing at No. 6 singles, beating Tortora, 6-1, 6-4, to tie the match 1-1. State went ahead 2-1 with a win at No. 5, where Gregor Ramskogler beat Croyder 7-6 (7-3), 6-1. Moments later, No. 22-ranked Hamish Stewart earned Georgia's second singles win, beating Florian Broska in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2). The tiebreaker was tied 1-1 before Stewart won six of the next seven points.

Tristan McCormick put Georgia ahead 3-2 with a three-set win at No. 2 singles. Facing State's Malesevic, McCormick dropped the opening set before taking control the rest of the way for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win. Georgia needed to win one of the two remaining matches, both featuring seniors in Bryde and Henning, who was in a third set at No. 3.

After Bryde clinched the victory, Henning closed out a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 win over Carles Hernandez, making the final score 5-2. The Bulldogs are back in action at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex next weekend when they host No. 5 Florida on Friday and No. 6 South Carolina on Sunday.

"It feels good to go home 2-0 in the SEC and we have a big weekend ahead with Florida and South Carolina coming in," Diaz said. "It will be a great weekend of tennis and we are counting on Bulldog Nation to lend us a hand and see some great tennis."

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the team on Twitter (@UGATennis) and Instagram (@ugatennis).

Results
No. 22 Georgia 5, No. 24 Mississippi State 2
Doubles
1. Hamish Stewart/Tristan McCormick (UGA) vs. Florian Broska/Gregor Ramskogler (MSU), 6-5 (unfinished)

2. Nemanja Malesevic/Davide Tortora (MSU) def. Trent Bryde/Philip Henning (UGA), 7-6 (7-5)

3. Alberto Colas/Carles Hernandez (MSU) def. Erik Grevelius/Blake Croyder (UGA), 6-4

Singles
1. Hamish Stewart (UGA) def. Florian Broska (MSU), 6-3, 7-6 (7-2)

2. Tristan McCormick (UGA) def. Nemanja Malesevic (MSU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1

3. Philip Henning (UGA) def. Carles Hernandez (MSU), 6-4, 4-6, 6-1

4. Trent Bryde (UGA) def. Bautista Vilicich (MSU), 3-6, 6-2, 6-4

5. Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Blake Croyder (UGA), 7-6 (7-3), 6-1

6. Miguel Perez Peña (UGA) def. Davide Tortora (MSU), 6-1, 6-4

Order of Finish
Doubles: 3, 2
Singles: 6, 5, 1, 2, 4, 3