TALLAHASSEE – The 22nd-ranked Florida State men’s tennis team defeated Alabama State (1-1) 4-0 and The Citadel (0-4) 7-0 in a Sunday afternoon doubleheader at the Indoor Tennis Courts to improve to 5-0 on the season. 

FSU dominated doubles in the first match of the day against Alabama State. On Court 2, Mohammad Alkotop and Azariah Rusher got to work early, jumping out to a 5-0 lead. On Court 3, Justin Lyons and Oren Ezerzer controlled a 4-2 lead through the first six games. Court 1 was back and forth until Luis Felipe Miguel and Erik Schiessl took a 4-3 advantage. Rusher and Alkotop earned the 6-1 victory, followed by Lyons and Ezerzer earning themselves a 6-2 victory, clinching the point for FSU. Miguel and Schiessl closed out the doubles session with a 6-3 win.

In singles, Gabriele Brancatelli earned his second consecutive dual-match victory, defeating Vid Maric 6-1, 6-1 on Court 4. No. 69-ranked Miguel earned the second singles victory of the day by defeating Martin Catrice 6-2, 6-3 on Court 2. Jan Sebesta clinched the match for FSU with a 6-2, 6-0 win on Court 6. 

Match two against The Citadel was Florida State’s Military Appreciation Match. The Seminoles once again dominated doubles play, sweeping the Bulldogs on all three courts. Brancatelli and Sebesta earned the first doubles victory of the match with a 6-0 sweep. Rusher and Alkotop earned their second doubles victory of the day with a 6-2 win to clinch the doubles point for FSU. Lyons and Ezerzer cleaned up the final match earning a 6-3 victory.

The Seminoles swept through all six singles courts, only dropping 10 total games. Ezerzer scored the first singles point for the Noles, defeating Graham Hardin 6-1, 6-0. Corey Craig earned his first win of the afternoon on Court 1, defeating Noah Van Dyke 6-0, 6-2. Brancatelli defeated Nick Stroumpis 6-0, 6-1 to clinch the match for FSU. The remaining courts played out with Lyons earning the next Seminole victory with a 6-0, 6-2 finish. Alkotop finished his match 6-2, 6-0 for a two-win afternoon and Jan Sebesta finished the day for the Seminoles with a 6-1, 6-1 victory.

The Seminoles will hit the road for a match against No. 11 Arizona on Wednesday, and will compete in ITA Kickoff Weekend in the Tucson Regional later this week.

Live stats will be available on seminoles.com

Match Results

#22 Florida State 4, Alabama State 0

Singles competition

1. Corey Craig (FSU) vs. Milan Ristov (ASU) 6-6, unfinished

2. #69 Luis Felipe Miguel (FSU) def. Martin Catrice (ASU) 6-2, 6-3

3. #43 Azariah Rusher (FSU) vs. Gordan Mileusnic (ASU) 6-3, 4-0, unfinished

4. Gabriele Brancatelli (FSU) def. Vid Maric (ASU) 6-1, 6-1

5. Justin Lyons (FSU) vs. Eloi Roux (ASU) 6-3, 4-2, unfinished

6. Jan Sebesta (FSU) def. Matteo Lataste (ASU) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. #43 Luis Felipe Miguel/Erik Schiessl (FSU) def. Vid Maric/Gordan Mileusnic (ASU) 6-3

2. #82 Mohammad Alkotop/Azariah Rusher (FSU) def. Milan Ristov/Flor De Sitter (ASU) 6-1

3. Justin Lyons/Oren Ezerzer (FSU) def. Martin Catrice/Matteo Lataste (ASU) 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,2,6)

#22 Florida State 7, The Citadel 0

Singles competition

1. Corey Craig (FSU) def. Noah Van Dyke (CITADEL) 6-0, 6-2

2. Mohammad Alkotop (FSU) def. Brady Gober (CITADEL) 6-2, 6-0

3. Gabriele Brancatelli (FSU) def. Nick Stroumpis (CITADEL) 6-0, 6-1

4. Justin Lyons (FSU) def. Ted Bagwell (CITADEL) 6-0, 6-2

5. Jan Sebesta (FSU) def. Reece Beckendorf (CITADEL) 6-1, 6-1

6. Oren Ezerzer (FSU) def. Graham Hardin (CITADEL) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. #82 Mohammad Alkotop/Azariah Rusher (FSU) def. Ted Bagwell/Brady Gober (CITADEL) 6-2

2. Gabriele Brancatelli/Jan Sebesta (FSU) def. Noah Van Dyke/Reece Beckendorf (CITADEL) 6-0

3. Oren Ezerzer/Justin Lyons (FSU) def. Anthony Osipov/Tucker Hendrix (CITADEL) 6-3

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (6,1,3,2,4,5)

For more information on the Florida State men’s tennis program, check Seminoles.com and follow us on social media at Florida State Men’s Tennis (FB) and FSUMTennis (IG and X).