Friday, March 1
Tempe, Ariz.
3 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Liberty
No. 15 Men's Tennis Takes on Talented Diablo Invitational Field over Weekend
2/29/2024 12:11:00 PM | Men's Tennis
TEMPE, Ariz. – 15th ranked men's tennis will look to rebound, taking on three talented opponents between Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Diablo College Tennis Invitational, opening the tournament against No. 51 Liberty on Friday at 3 p.m..
Following Friday's match, the Spartans, the tournament's two seed with a 12-1 record, will take on either No. 58 Boise State for a third time already this season, or the hosts, No. 23 Arizona State on Saturday with the time yet to be determined.
The four teams on the other side of the bracket that MSU could face in the finale Sunday are first-seeded and national No. 9 Arizona, No. 30 VCU, No. 36 Michigan and GCU.
Scouting No. 51 Liberty
The Flames will travel to face the Spartans with a 9-3 record, riding a four-match win streak. A common opponent between the two sides is No. 21 Princeton who bested Liberty by a score of 6-1 on Feb. 4 and MSU 4-0 in the Blue Gray Classic final last Saturday, Feb. 24. No Flames are ranked in the ITA singles or doubles rankings.
Series History vs. Liberty
The lone matchup between the Spartans and Flames saw Liberty come out on top last season, 4-1 on neutral ground on March 11, 2023.
Scouting No. 23 Arizona State
The tournament hosts the Sun Devils hold an 8-4 season record prior to their first-round matchup, on a three-match win streak. Arizona State is 2-3 against ranked opponents, having also beaten three teams in the Diablo Invite field: Michigan (4-2), GCU (4-0) and VCU (4-2).
Two Sun Devils find themselves in the ITA singles rankings: Murphy Cassone at No. 9 nationally and Bor Artnak at No. 105. In doubles play Artnak pairs with Max McKennon to make the 26th rated doubles pairing in college tennis.
Series History vs. Arizona State
The Sun Devils claimed the first and only matchup between the two teams, a 7-0 sweep in East Lansing on Feb. 9, 2020.
Scouting No. 58 Boise State
The Broncos enter their potential third matchup of the season with MSU 6-7, currently on a three-match losing streak which started with their second loss of the season at the hands of the Spartans, 4-1 last Friday, Feb. 23. MSU also defeated Boise State 5-2 in East Lansing on Feb. 2.
Senior Sam Sippel is the lone Boise State representative in the ITA player rankings, slotted as the nation's No. 43 singles player. Graduate student Ronald Hohmann III, currently ranked No. 19 in the nation, topped Sippel 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 at No. 1 singles in the sides' first meeting and won in straight sets 7-6 [7-0], 6-4.
Series History vs. Boise State
Michigan State is 3-3 all-time against Boise State with the Spartans coming out on top 5-2 in the last three meetings. The Broncos hold a 2-1 lead in the series in three matches on neutral ground.
Last Time Out – Blue Gray National Tennis Classic
The Spartans jumped up one spot in the ITA Rankings from 16th after a 2-1 weekend in Montgomery, Ala. that ended in MSU's first loss of the season in 13 games in the Blue Gray Classic final.
On the way to the final the Spartans took down No. 51 Boise State 4-1 Friday and No. 44 Auburn in MSU's first 4-3 thriller of the season Saturday. Later in the afternoon the Spartans ran into a buzzsaw in No. 35 Princeton in the final, swept by the Tigers 4-0.
Hohmann Collects First Big Ten Player of the Week Honor
Graduate student Ronald Hohmann III was named Big Ten Men's Tennis Co-Player of the Week on Wednesday, Feb. 28, for his clutch efforts; two ranked wins at No. 1 singles that both clinched the match wins for MSU over Boise State and Auburn as well as a doubles point clinch.
The nation's No. 19 player picked up wins over the 43rd ranked Sam Sippel of Boise State in straight sets and the 43rd-ranked Tyler Stice in a comeback to break a 3-3 draw with the Tigers. The transfer from LSU earned his first B1G recognition as a Spartan and MSU's first of the season.
Nation's Top Doubles Team among Historic Rankings Update for Spartans
On Feb. 7, MSU Men's Tennis received several program-best classifications in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's first individual rankings update, led by junior Max Sheldon and sophomore Ozan Baris' jump to No. 1 doubles team in the nation.
Sheldon and Baris' status as the chief pairing in the country is the first time any Spartan tennis student-athletes have topped the rankings list.
In the latest individual rankings update on Feb. 20, Baris remained the program's highest-ever seeded individual, up two spots to No. 4. Also improving to a career-best rating was senior Graydon Lair at No. 92, 3-0 in singles play on the young season.
Still Perfect
One Spartan, junior Max Sheldon, remains perfect on the season in singles, holding an 8-0 record. The No. 88 ranked Sheldon is tied for the team lead with eight singles wins.
Of the 13 different doubles pairings that have taken to the court, each have collected at least one win and four are yet to drop a set. While MSU's perfect 12-0 start to the season ended, so did national No. 4 Ozan Baris' and graduate student Sebastien Collard undefeated runs ended last weekend.
Spartans in ITA DI Men's Tennis Rankings Update (Feb. 20, 2024)
Singles
Ranked Opponents at the Diablo College Tennis Invitational
Teams
#9 Arizona
#23 Arizona State
#30 VCU
#36 Michigan
#51 Liberty
#58 Boise State
Singles
#6 Colton Smith, Arizona
#9 Murphy Cassone, Arizona State
#18 Gavin Young, Michigan
#39 Jay Friend, Arizona
#43 Sam Sippel, Boise State
#70 Matisse Bobichon, VCU
#73 Mathis Bondaz, VCU
#76 Gustaf Strom, Arizona
#98 Romain Gales, VCU
#105 Bor Artnak, Arizona State
#108 Jacob Bickersteth, Michigan
Doubles
#11 Colton Smith/Jay Friend, Arizona
#26 Bor Artnak/Max McKennon, Arizona State
#30 Jacob Bickersteth/Gavin Young, Michigan
#38 Colton Smith/Herman Hoeyeraal, Arizona
#49 Sasha Rozin/Gustaf Strom, Arizona
Following Friday's match, the Spartans, the tournament's two seed with a 12-1 record, will take on either No. 58 Boise State for a third time already this season, or the hosts, No. 23 Arizona State on Saturday with the time yet to be determined.
The four teams on the other side of the bracket that MSU could face in the finale Sunday are first-seeded and national No. 9 Arizona, No. 30 VCU, No. 36 Michigan and GCU.
Scouting No. 51 Liberty
The Flames will travel to face the Spartans with a 9-3 record, riding a four-match win streak. A common opponent between the two sides is No. 21 Princeton who bested Liberty by a score of 6-1 on Feb. 4 and MSU 4-0 in the Blue Gray Classic final last Saturday, Feb. 24. No Flames are ranked in the ITA singles or doubles rankings.
Series History vs. Liberty
The lone matchup between the Spartans and Flames saw Liberty come out on top last season, 4-1 on neutral ground on March 11, 2023.
Scouting No. 23 Arizona State
The tournament hosts the Sun Devils hold an 8-4 season record prior to their first-round matchup, on a three-match win streak. Arizona State is 2-3 against ranked opponents, having also beaten three teams in the Diablo Invite field: Michigan (4-2), GCU (4-0) and VCU (4-2).
Two Sun Devils find themselves in the ITA singles rankings: Murphy Cassone at No. 9 nationally and Bor Artnak at No. 105. In doubles play Artnak pairs with Max McKennon to make the 26th rated doubles pairing in college tennis.
Series History vs. Arizona State
The Sun Devils claimed the first and only matchup between the two teams, a 7-0 sweep in East Lansing on Feb. 9, 2020.
Scouting No. 58 Boise State
The Broncos enter their potential third matchup of the season with MSU 6-7, currently on a three-match losing streak which started with their second loss of the season at the hands of the Spartans, 4-1 last Friday, Feb. 23. MSU also defeated Boise State 5-2 in East Lansing on Feb. 2.
Senior Sam Sippel is the lone Boise State representative in the ITA player rankings, slotted as the nation's No. 43 singles player. Graduate student Ronald Hohmann III, currently ranked No. 19 in the nation, topped Sippel 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 at No. 1 singles in the sides' first meeting and won in straight sets 7-6 [7-0], 6-4.
Series History vs. Boise State
Michigan State is 3-3 all-time against Boise State with the Spartans coming out on top 5-2 in the last three meetings. The Broncos hold a 2-1 lead in the series in three matches on neutral ground.
Last Time Out – Blue Gray National Tennis Classic
The Spartans jumped up one spot in the ITA Rankings from 16th after a 2-1 weekend in Montgomery, Ala. that ended in MSU's first loss of the season in 13 games in the Blue Gray Classic final.
On the way to the final the Spartans took down No. 51 Boise State 4-1 Friday and No. 44 Auburn in MSU's first 4-3 thriller of the season Saturday. Later in the afternoon the Spartans ran into a buzzsaw in No. 35 Princeton in the final, swept by the Tigers 4-0.
Hohmann Collects First Big Ten Player of the Week Honor
Graduate student Ronald Hohmann III was named Big Ten Men's Tennis Co-Player of the Week on Wednesday, Feb. 28, for his clutch efforts; two ranked wins at No. 1 singles that both clinched the match wins for MSU over Boise State and Auburn as well as a doubles point clinch.
The nation's No. 19 player picked up wins over the 43rd ranked Sam Sippel of Boise State in straight sets and the 43rd-ranked Tyler Stice in a comeback to break a 3-3 draw with the Tigers. The transfer from LSU earned his first B1G recognition as a Spartan and MSU's first of the season.
Nation's Top Doubles Team among Historic Rankings Update for Spartans
On Feb. 7, MSU Men's Tennis received several program-best classifications in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's first individual rankings update, led by junior Max Sheldon and sophomore Ozan Baris' jump to No. 1 doubles team in the nation.
Sheldon and Baris' status as the chief pairing in the country is the first time any Spartan tennis student-athletes have topped the rankings list.
In the latest individual rankings update on Feb. 20, Baris remained the program's highest-ever seeded individual, up two spots to No. 4. Also improving to a career-best rating was senior Graydon Lair at No. 92, 3-0 in singles play on the young season.
Still Perfect
One Spartan, junior Max Sheldon, remains perfect on the season in singles, holding an 8-0 record. The No. 88 ranked Sheldon is tied for the team lead with eight singles wins.
Of the 13 different doubles pairings that have taken to the court, each have collected at least one win and four are yet to drop a set. While MSU's perfect 12-0 start to the season ended, so did national No. 4 Ozan Baris' and graduate student Sebastien Collard undefeated runs ended last weekend.
Spartans in ITA DI Men's Tennis Rankings Update (Feb. 20, 2024)
Singles
- No. 4 – Ozan Baris
- No. 19 – Ronald Hohmann III
- No. 88 – Max Sheldon
- No. 92 – Graydon Lair
- No. 1 – Max Sheldon/Ozan Baris
Ranked Opponents at the Diablo College Tennis Invitational
Teams
#9 Arizona
#23 Arizona State
#30 VCU
#36 Michigan
#51 Liberty
#58 Boise State
Singles
#6 Colton Smith, Arizona
#9 Murphy Cassone, Arizona State
#18 Gavin Young, Michigan
#39 Jay Friend, Arizona
#43 Sam Sippel, Boise State
#70 Matisse Bobichon, VCU
#73 Mathis Bondaz, VCU
#76 Gustaf Strom, Arizona
#98 Romain Gales, VCU
#105 Bor Artnak, Arizona State
#108 Jacob Bickersteth, Michigan
Doubles
#11 Colton Smith/Jay Friend, Arizona
#26 Bor Artnak/Max McKennon, Arizona State
#30 Jacob Bickersteth/Gavin Young, Michigan
#38 Colton Smith/Herman Hoeyeraal, Arizona
#49 Sasha Rozin/Gustaf Strom, Arizona
Players Mentioned
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