ATHENS, Ga. ? The Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs began play at the ITA Southern Regional Championships Saturday by claiming five of nine singles matches contested on the day. A big upset in the A Draw and two players advancing to the round of 16 in the B bracket highlighted the day for State.
A Draw singles play was highlighted by Ren?e Joseph's opening-round matchup with 17th-ranked Megan Alexander of Florida. Joseph won the opening set, with Alexander claiming the second. In a tiebreak third set, Joseph pulled off one of the biggest upsets of her career with a final score of 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(6). After that fierce battle, Joseph would later fall to Naoko Ueshima of host Georgia in the second round.
Lady Bulldogs Valeriya Makarycheva and Elna de Villiers both moved into the round of 16 in the B Draw with victories Saturday. Makarycheva defeated Troy's Carolina Joania 6-4, 6-3, and followed it up with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Kyla McNicol of Central Florida. De Villiers, who had an opening round bye, defeated Tatiana Soldatova of Jacksonville University 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 in the second round.
In other A Draw singles action for MSU, Daniela Juskova won her opening matchup with Jessica Zok of South Florida in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. She later succumbed to 125th-ranked Kelley Hyndman of Georgia 6-1, 6-2.
In other B draw action, State's Tatiana Feit dropped a hard-fought, three-set match to Catherine Canady of Stetson, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in the first round. With a first-round bye, Radka Ferancova fought hard against Yana Kireeva of Mississippi in the second round, but eventually fell 6-2, 6-4.
Mississippi State's doubles teams will see their first action tomorrow. MState's Joseph and Juskova will take on Troy's Annabelle Bares and Rawia El Sissi. Ferancova and de Villiers will take on South Florida's Jessica Zok and Natalia Guevara. Makarycheva and Feit will compete against Stephanie Viera and Caolina Jouania of Troy.
Play will continue Sunday at 8 a.m. CT at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex beginning with doubles.
MSU RESULTS AT THE ITA SOUTHERN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Athens, Ga. ? 10/20/07
SINGLES ? A Draw
First Round ? Ren?e Joseph (MSU) def. #17 Megan Alexander (UF) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(6); Daniela Juskova (MSU) def. Jessica Zok (South Florida) 6-4, 6-3.
Round of 32 ? Naoko Ueshima (UGA) def. Joseph (MSU) 6-1, 6-1; #125 Kelley Hyndman (UGA) def. Juskova (MSU) 6-1, 6-2.
SINGLES ? B Draw
First Round ? Valeriya Makarycheva (MSU) def. Carolina Joania (Troy) 6-4, 6-3; Catherine Canady (Stetson) def. Tatiana Feit (MSU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
Round of 32 ? Elna de Villiers (MSU) def. Tatiana Soldatova (Jacksonville) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1; Makarycheva (MSU) def. Kyla McNicol (Central Florida) 6-4, 6-3; Yana Kireeva (Mississippi) def. Radka Ferancova (MSU) 6-2, 6-4.
