Girod knocked off 84th-ranked Nate Emge of Kentucky by a score of 6-1,
6-2 in his second-round match, while Bjelica moved on with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
victory over Tennessee's Bobby Cameron. Girod's win over Emge marked the
fourth time in his career that he has knocked off a ranked opponent. In the
round of 16, Girod faced Georgia's 12th-ranked and second-seed Strahinja
Bobusic. Girod won the first set 7-5 but could not hold on and lost the last
two sets by a score of 6-1, 6-1. Bjelica, ranked 74th, fell 6-3, 6-4 to
Georgia's Antonio Ruiz and was eliminated from tournament play.
In singles action in the consolation bracket Saturday, four Bulldogs
fell in their first-round matches. MSU senior Jose-Carlos Pinto made a vye
for a big win, but fell just short to Florida's Nestor Briceno. After losing
the first set 6-4, Pinto battled back to even the match, winning the second
set 6-1. The third set went to a tiebreaker after Pinto overcame a 5-2
deficit, but Briceno ultimately prevailed. Bulldogs Pierre Mouillon, Ryan
Farlow and Eric Lim all fell in straight sets while State sophomore Philippe
Frayssinoux defaulted his consolation match.
Saturday's action concluded play for MSU at the SEC Indoors. The
Bulldogs will now head home and prepare for their first dual match of the
spring when they host UAB on Feb. 3 at 2 p.m at the A.J. Pitts Tennis
Centre.