Mississippi State
Mizzou Invite
State Women?s Tennis Goes 10-3 On First Day of Mizzou Invite
September 19, 2014 | Women's Tennis
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Facing some tough competition on the first day of the Mizzou Invite Friday, the Mississippi State women's tennis team excelled, going 5-1 in doubles play and 5-2 in singles, including some very notable play from its freshman class to open the 2014-15 campaign.
MSU began the first round of doubles by sweeping Nebraska on all three courts. The Bulldog duo of Martina Frantova and Naomi Tran defeated Nebraska's Mary Hanna and Maggy Lehmicke, 8-5 on court 1. At No. 2, it was the State tandem of Timea Guibe and Georgiana Patrasc coming out with an 8-4 victory over Nebraska's Lisa Andersson and Spurti Shivalingaiah. The MSU freshman duo of Jennifer Brown and Alex Corder would round out the action on court 3, defeating Katerina Matysova and Mackenna Maddox 8-7(4).
The Bulldogs continued their solid play soon after by taking two out of three doubles matches against host Missouri. Frantova and Tran combined for another victory on court 1, defeating Missouri's Beatriz Machado Santos and Cassidy Spearman, 8-3. After falling on court 3, the Bulldogs responded at No. 2, as Patrasc paired up with Brown for a nail-biting 8-7(7) victory over the Tigers' duo of Kelli Hine and Brittany Lashway.
MSU would close out the first day's action by facing players from Columbia for a round of singles. The 42nd-ranked All-SEC junior Patrasc led the way for the Bulldogs with an impressive win on court 1 over CU's 85th-ranked Kanika Vaidya, 6-2, 6-2.
The Bulldogs also earned wins in four of the other six singles contests, including three wins from freshmen. The rookie Frantova was a 6-4, 7-6(5) victor at No. 2 over Columbia's Rima Asatrian, Brown won a thrilling 6-7(9), 7-6(1), 6-3 comeback over the Lions' Crystal Leung at No. 3 to end the day (rallying from 3-1 down in the third), and Louise Ronaldson was a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Adi Milstein on court 5.
Also victorious for State was the senior veteran Tran, who cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 triumph over CU's Vivian Cheng at No. 6.
“I'm extremely pleased with the way we competed today,” said head coach Daryl Greenan. “A 10-3 record on the day is impressive. Four of our seven players were playing the first college matches of their careers, and the results were solid against some stiff competition.”
Mississippi State will resume play in the Mizzou Invite Saturday morning at 9 a.m. CT, with two rounds of doubles play against Columbia and Nebraska. Later in the afternoon, the Bulldogs will face Missouri in singles play.
For more information on Mississippi State women's tennis and updates, fans can follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at HailStateWT.
Mizzou Invite - Sept. 19, 2014
Country Club Plaza Tennis Center – Kansas City, Mo.
Doubles vs. Nebraska
1. Martina Frantova/Naomi Tran (MSU) def. Mary Hanna/Maggy Lehmicke (NEB), 8-5
2. Timea Guibe/Georgiana Patrasc (MSU) def. Lisa Andersson/Spurti Shivalingaiah (NEB), 8-4
3. Jennifer Brown/Alex Corder (MSU) def. Katerina Matysova/Mackenna Maddox (NEB), 8-7 (4)
Doubles vs. Missouri
1. Martina Frantova/Naomi Tran (MSU) def. Beatriz Machado Santos/Cassidy Spearman (MU), 8-3
2. Jennifer Brown/Georgiana Patrasc (MSU) def. Kelli Hine/Brittany Lashway (MU), 8-7 (7)
3. Alex Clark/Brianna Lashway (MU) def. Timea Guibe/Louise Ronaldson (MSU), 8-3
Singles vs. Columbia
1. No. 42 Georgiana Patrasc (MSU) def. No. 85 Kanika Vaidya (CU), 6-2, 6-2
2. Martina Frantova (MSU) def. Rima Asatrian (CU), 6-4, 7-6 (5)
3. Jennifer Brown (MSU) def. Crystal Leung (CU), 6-7 (9), 7-6 (1), 6-3
4. Alexandra Solovyev (CU) def. Timea Guibe (MSU), 6-3, 0-6, 6-3
5. Louise Ronaldson (MSU) def. Adi Milstein (CU), 6-3, 6-3
6. Naomi Tran (MSU) def. Vivian Cheng (CU), 6-4, 6-1
7. Laura MacMullin (CU) def. Alex Corder (MSU), 6-2, 6-2
