After last week’s victory to 47th-ranked TCU and a loss to No. 11 Baylor, the Mississippi State men’s tennis team looks to bounce back when it starts Southeastern Conference play this weekend.
The Bulldogs will look to make a statement in the conference by facing two Top 25 opponents. First, the Bulldogs host the No. 22 Vanderbilt Commodores Friday at 2 p.m., followed by the No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats on Sunday at 1 p.m., at the A.J. Pitts Center.
MSU is hoping to make a real mark in SEC play this year with the return of seven players from the previous season. MSU compiled an overall 10-12 record last season, with a 2-8 mark in SEC play.
However, returning junior Louis Cant said he feels this team has the experience to shake up the conference. Cant, who is ranked 73rd in the nation, is certainly leading by example. Cant has a record of 7-2 this spring and won three of his previous four matches.
“We want to show them from the first match that we have improved a lot, and they will need to be ready,” Cant said. “We are more experienced, and that experience will show in our matches.”
Coach Per Nilsson has his team ready for conference play and is excited about the upcoming challenge his team faces.
“We’re looking forward to playing Vanderbilt, who started the year off very strong,” Nilsson said. “We know it will be a tough match, and we just have to come ready to play.”
MSU knows Vanderbilt’s team well. Their last meeting was in the opening round of last season’s SEC Tournament. MSU was successful in defeating the Commodores with a 4-0 victory but have lost three of the last four meetings.  Both teams are looking to avenge losses from their previous matches. Vanderbilt received its loss at the hands of North Carolina but had won six straight matches before this.
MSU is looking to ride the momentum of SEC Men’s Tennis Freshman of the Week Malte Stropp. Stropp has an overall record of 8-1 for the spring, and previously won the Freshman of the Week award on Feb. 2.  Stropp is the only MSU tennis player since 2001 to win the award twice in one season.
“Malte has been on a roll lately, and it is great that he is getting recognized for that,” Nilsson said. “We have to stay focused and continue to prepare for the tough SEC schedule, but it is great to know we can stick a freshman like Malte in our lineup and be successful.” 
Stropp is 5-1 in dual match play and has helped the Bulldogs to a 4-4 mark for the spring.
Stropp will try to extend his four match winning streak and help the Bulldogs claim their first SEC victory this spring.  
After the SEC opener, MSU will travel to Fayetteville to compete against the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Bulldogs will follow those matches with a trip to Baton Rouge to challenge the LSU Tigers in conference play.