Even after Saturday’s close loss to the No. 15 Florida Gators, Mississippi State’s men’s tennis team has already surpassed last season’s SEC win total. The Bulldogs now share first place in the SEC West Division with the No. 25 Ole Miss Rebels, whom State will meet in the last game of the season.
The Bulldogs are currently ranked 32 in the nation, with an overall record of 9-6 and 4-2 in SEC play.  At this same point in the season last year, the Bulldogs had compiled an overall record of 8-8 and 1-5 in SEC games.
Coach Per Nilsson said he contributes the improvement to two key elements.
“This season we are deeper with experience, meaning we don’t have any holes in the roster,” Nilsson said. “Also, we won the games I felt we should have won. Last year we lost games to opponents similar to us. This time around we took care of business.”
The Bulldogs also have been riding on the hot hands of some of the upperclassmen in the quest for the division crown.
The junior duo of No. 38 Louis Cant and No. 56 George Coupland both extended their dual match winning streaks in the loss to Florida this past weekend.  Coupland has been showing more of a leadership role for the team this season.
“George has stepped up a lot this year,” Nilsson said.
Coupland has been leading with his play on the court, and he also commends his teammates on his success.
“My play comes from believing in my team,” said Coupland. “We are a lot more experienced, more willing to fight and go.”
Also contributing to the Bulldogs run has been the amazing play of freshman Malte Stroppe.
In his short career, Stroppe is already a three-time SEC Freshman of the Week recipient. He extended his dual match win streak to five wins over the weekend, and when paired with teammate Louis cant, they rank No. 46 in doubles match play.
Stroppe admitted working on his techniques has made all the difference.
“When I first came, I hear we worked hard on my serve and my forehand, which were my biggest issues,” Stroppe said. “I am now really using my serve to open up the court. It has really improved my game.
Nilsson also gave praise to Stroppe.
“Malte has been unreal,” Nilsson said. “He is by far one of the better freshmen in the conference, if not in the country.”
The Bulldogs will be facing their biggest challenge of the season this weekend as they square off against the 4th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers and the No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs. Last season, the Bulldogs faced both teams on the road. Both matches ended up being losses for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs now hope they can reverse the outcomes of last season with the home court advantage. The team is eager to show the experience that has been carrying them this whole season.
“This is the toughest part of the schedule, every year,” Nilsson said. “They are two top 10 programs this year, so we gotta bring it.”
The Bulldogs continue their march toward an SEC crown this Friday at 2 p.m. against Tennessee before taking on Georgia Sunday at 1 p.m. Both games will be held at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre, and admission is free to the public.