Lady Bulldogs Fall To No. 14 Arkansas In Windy Conditions

Friday, April 10

Starkville

11:00 AM

Mississippi State

Arkansas

MSU Women?s Tennis Continues Road Swing In Knoxville

Lady Bulldogs Fall To No. 14 Arkansas In Windy Conditions

April 10, 2009 | Women's Tennis

By: hailstate.com

STARKVILLE, Miss. ? Battling strong and gusty winds throughout the match, Mississippi State's women's tennis team (9-8, 0-8 SEC) fell to 14th-ranked Arkansas (11-6, 6-3 SEC) Friday at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. Due to the windy conditions, play was suspended after the Razorbacks clinched the match at 4-0.

In doubles, Mississippi State got off to a strong start, challenging Arkansas on every court. The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to early leads at all three positions before finally falling. Radka Ferancova and Daniela Juskova built a 3-1 advantage at No. 3, while Martina Banikova and Elna de Villiers started with a 2-1 lead. Natalia Mayuk and Olesya Tsigvintseva went up by a slim 3-2 advantage.

In back-and-forth matches on each court, State was unable to maintain its early advantage, ultimately falling at each position. At No. 2, Mayuk and Tsigvintseva fell 8-4 to 62nd-ranked Razorbacks Aurejila Miseviciute and Ela Kaluder, while at No. 3 Ferancova and Juskova dropped an 8-6 decision to Emily Carbone and Kate Lukomskaya. The senior duo of Banikova and de Villiers battled hard, but lost to the 29th-ranked UA tandem of Nanar Airapetian and Anouk Tigu.

In singles, MSU's Ferancova was the first one to fall, dropping a 6-2, 6-2 decision on court No.3 to Kaluder. Her setback was followed by another Razorback victory at No. 5, where MSU's Valeriya Makarycheva suffered a 6-4, 6-1 defeat to Airapetian of UA.

Up 3-0, Arkansas clinched the match when the 71st-ranked Tidu posted a 6-3, 6-2 victory at the No. 2 position over State's Tsigvintseva.

That win gave Arkansas the 4-0 advantage and play was suspended at that point.

“It was unfortunate we had to play in these conditions today,” said head coach Tracy Lane. “I thought we played so hard and had made it close in doubles. It was just a very tough match.”

Mississippi State will conclude its 2009 home slate Sunday against LSU at 1 p.m. CT. It will be the last home match for three Lady Bulldog seniors - Banikova, de Villiers and Juskova.

#14 Arkansas 4, #67 Mississippi State 0
April 10, 2009 ? A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre

DOUBLES - #29 Nanar Airapetian/Anouk Tigu (UA) def. Martina Banikova/ Elna de Villiers (MSU) 8-6; #62 Aurejila Miseviciute/Ela Kaluder (UA) def. Natalia Mayuk/Olesya Tsigvintseva (MSU) 8-4; Emily Carbone/Kate Lukomskaya (UA) def. Radka Ferancova/Daniela Juskova (MSU) 8-6

SINGLES ? #5 Miseviciute (UA) vs. Banikova (MSU) 6-1, 3-3 susp.; #71 Anouk (UA) def. Tsigvintseva (MSU) 6-3, 6-2; Kaluder (UA) def. Ferancova (MSU) 6-2, 6-2; Carbone (UA) vs. de Villers (MSU) 6-0, 4-3 susp., Airapetian (UA) def. Valeriya Makarycheva (MSU) 6-4, 6-1; Lukomskaya (UA) vs. Mayuk (MSU) 6-3, 4-1, susp.

Order of finish... Doubles (2, 3, 1) Singles (3, 5, 2)