Mississippi State
Kentucky
Lady Bulldog Tennis Falls 6-1 In Conference Match Vs. UK
April 07, 2012 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State's women's tennis team squad fell 6-1 in its conference matchup with visiting Kentucky on Friday afternoon at the Pitts Tennis Centre.
State fell to 7-11 overall and 1-8 in league action with the loss. UK improved to 9-11, 1-8.
With only five players available for play, State started a match down in doubles, defaulting the No. 3 position. On court one, UK's duo of Jessica Stiles and Caitlin McGraw clinched the doubles point with an 8-4 victory against Alexandra Perper and Naomi Tran of MSU. The Wildcats secured the doubles sweep with an 8-4 win against Rosaline Dion and Petra Ferancova on court two.
UK started singles play with a 2-0 lead due with MSU's default on court six. The Wildcat lead grew to 3-0 as McGraw posted a 6-1, 6-2 victory against MSU's Ferancova at the No. 4 position. On courts two, three, and five, Kentucky was able to claim first set victories. Tsigvintseva on court two, and Tran on court three both battled back to claim their second sets, but Dion fell 6-1, 6-2 to Stephanie Fox at No. 5, clinching the match for the Lady Wildcats.
Perper took her first set on court one in a closely contested 7-6(3) decision, but Stiles won the second set 6-1. Because Kentucky had already clinched the victory, 10-point tiebreakers were played on courts one and two to decide the matches. Tsigvintseva was the first of this group to complete play, falling 6-2, 3-6, 1-0(2) to Blajkevitch at No. 2. Perper and Stiles battled back and forth in the match's deciding tiebreaker at No. 1, but Stiles held off Perper in a lengthy breaker to take the victory 6-7(3), 6-1, 1-0(10).
At the No. 3 position, Tran's opponent, Edmee Morin, retired with Tran leading 3-2 in the third set, resulting in a 3-6, 6-1, 3-2 (ret.) win for the Lady Bulldogs.
At 1 p.m. this Sunday, Lady Bulldog tennis will be back in action as they take on No. 23 Vanderbilt at the Pitts Tennis Centre. Updates for MSU matches can be found on Twitter at @mstateWT. Live stats links can be found on hailstate.com.
KENTUCKY 6, #62 MISSISSIPPI STATE 1
April 6, 2012 - Starkville, Miss.
DOUBLES -
1) Jessica Stiles/Caitlin McGraw (UK) def. Alexandra Perper/Naomi Tran (MSU) 8-4
2) Khristina Blajkevitch/Edmee Morin (UK) def. Rosaline Dion/Petra Ferancova (MSU) 8-4
3) CeCe Witten/Marni Venter (UK) won by default.
SINGLES -
1) Jessica Stiles (UK) def. #114 Alexandra Perper (MSU) 6-7(3), 6-1, 1-0(10)
2) Khristina Blajkevitch (UK) def. Olesya Tsigvintseva (MSU) 6-2, 3-6, 1-0(2)
3) Naomi Tran (MSU) def. Edmee Morin (UK) 3-6, 6-1, 3-2 (ret.)
4) Caitlin McGraw (UK) def. Petra Ferancova (MSU) 6-3, 6-1
5) Stephanie Fox (UK) def. Rosaline Dion (MSU) 6-1, 6-2
6) CeCe Witten (UK) won by default.
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2), Singles (6,4,5,2,1,3)
