Mississippi State
LSU
Lady Bulldog Tennis Victorious In 4-3 Upset Thriller Over 16th-Ranked LSU
April 12, 2009 | Women's Tennis
“We played like a different team today,” said coach Lane. “I told our girls before the match that if we want to win, we have to forget about the past and look to the future. Today, it is like we started a new season and I am so proud of the way we fought today.”
The match was the final home contest for seniors Martina Banikova, Elna de Villiers and Daniela Juskova, who were honored prior to the affair.
State was tough throughout the match, but LSU was strong at the start. With the teams playing singles first in anticipation of potential inclement weather, the Tigers put together a string of victories at courts one, four and five with MSU's only win during that stretch coming from Olesya Tsigvintseva. The State freshman ousted LSU's Mykala Hedberg in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4 on court No. 2.
Down 3-1, the Lady Bulldogs did not go away, rallying in strong fashion for the needed wins to force doubles play. On court six, junior Valeriya Makarycheva staved off a strong push from LSU's Staten Spencer to take a 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory. All eyes then turned to the final singles match in play at No. 3, where MSU junior Radka Ferancova found herself in a tight battle with the Tigers' Whitney Wolf. After losing the first set, Ferancova rallied for two tiebreak wins to post a hard-fought 3-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(3) triumph, knotting the score at 3-3.
Almost as soon as singles play ended, the anticipated rain started to pour at the Pitts Tennis Centre, forcing the teams to move indoors to McCarthy Gymnasium for the completion of the match in doubles. The excitement and momentum MSU ended with in singles would carry over to doubles.
A pair of seniors and a couple of freshmen would ultimately put the match away for State as the MSU rookie pair of Natalia Mayuk and Tsigvintseva played side-by-side with senior teammates Banikova and de Villiers. But not after yet another comeback effort
Both State tandems found themselves down early. Mayuk and Tsigvintseva fell behind 5-2, while Banikova and de Villiers were down 6-3.The Lady Bulldogs battled back on each court. The freshman duo was the first to rally when they battled back for a 9-8(2) triumph at the No. 2 position over LSU's Hannah Robinson and Wolf.
Very fittingly on senior day, it would be two seniors who would decide the match. Banikova and de Villiers fought back to upset LSU's 17th-ranked tandem of Megan Falcon and Hedberg for a 9-8(1) victory, sending the match into the victory column for MSU at 4-3.
#67
April 12, 2009 ? A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre
SINGLES - #17 Megan Falcon (LSU) def. Martina Banikova (MSU) 6-0, 6-0; Olesya Tsigvintseva (MSU) def. Mykala Hedberg (LSU) 6-2, 6-4; Radka Ferancova (MSU) def. Whitney Wolf (LSU) 3-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (3); Nicole Kantor (LSU) def. Elna de Villiers (MSU) 6-3, 6-2; Hannah Robinson (LSU) def. Daniela Juskova (MSU) 6-1, 0-6, 6-2; Valeriya Makarycheva (MSU) def. Staten Spencer (LSU) 2-6, 6-2, 7-5
DOUBLES ? Banikova/de Villiers (MSU) def. #17 Falcon/Hedberg (LSU) 9-8(2); Mayuk/Tsigvintseva (MSU) def. Robinson/Wolf (LSU) 9-8(1); Radka Ferancova/Daniela Juskova (MSU) vs. Nicole Kantor/Staten Spencer (LSU) ? not contested.
Order of finish... Singles (1, 2, 5, 4, 6, 3) Doubles (2, 1)
