March 29, 1998

STARKVILLE, Miss.-The 15th-ranked University of Kentucky men’s tennis team (14-6, 2-3) battled to the bitter end as it competed against No. 4 Mississippi State (13-2, 6-1) and lost 4-3 Sunday. The Wildcats No. 1 doubles duo of Marcus Fluitt and Johan Hesoun, ranked 32nd in the nation, defeated MSU’s Jeremy Bayon and Daniel Healey, 8-5. The Wildcats could not hold on to the doubles point as MSU won at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots.

In singles action, UK sophomore Johan Hesoun took down MSU’s Derek Pope in a three-set match 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Wildcat senior Cedric Kauffmann and freshman Edo Bawono claimed victories in two-set matches at No. 1 and No. 6 spots respectively.

MSU coach Andy Jackson is now 8-3 in head-to-head competition with his college mentor UK coach Dennis Emery. Jackson lettered three seasons (1982-84) at UK, two of those seasons under Emery. The Wildcats will play next at Ole Miss on Monday.

AGATE
Men's singlesCedric Kauffmann (K) def. Thomas Dupre (M) 7-6(3), 6-4Matthieu Ballay (M) def. Carlos Drada (K) 7-5, 6-2Jeremy Bayon (M) def. Marcus Fluitt (K) 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-3Johan Hesoun (K) def. Derek Pope (M) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3Conrad Hurter (M) def. Dan Spaner (K) 6-2, 7-5Edo Bawono (K) def. Daniel Healey (M) 7-6(4), 6-4 

Men’s doublesFluitt/Hesoun (K) def. Bayon/Healey (M) 8-5Ballay/Dupre (M) def. Kauffmann/Spaner (K) 8-2Micheal Metz/Pope (M) def. Bawono/Drada (K) 8-5