Friday, April 21
Nashville, Tenn.
9:00 AM
Mississippi State
2
vs
4
Florida
Madison Harrison aided in State's close battle with a straight-set upset of the 29th-ranked singles player.
No. 20 MSU Falls In Tough 4-2 Battle To No. 1 Florida In SEC Quarters
April 21, 2017 | Women's Tennis
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – To end its run in the 2017 SEC Championship, the 20th-ranked and sixth-seeded Mississippi State women's tennis team (15-8) fell in a tight 4-2 battle to top-ranked and third-seeded Florida (22-2) in the league tournament's quarterfinals Friday morning at Vanderbilt's Currey Tennis Center.
Florida came out strong in doubles to take the early 1-0 lead. On court 3, UF's 42nd-ranked Josie Kuhlman and Belinda Woolcock overpowered MSU's Madison Harrison and Sara Lizariturry 6-2. To clinch the doubles point, Florida's 20th-ranked Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan downed State's Jennifer Brown and Khrystyna Vozniak by the same score at the No. 2 position. The remaining match was suspended with the 17th-ranked Gator pair of Anna Danilina and Ingrid Neel leading the fifth-ranked Bulldog pair of Jasmine Lee and Lisa Marie Rioux 5-3 at No. 1.
Despite State putting up a strong rally effort in singles by splitting the opening sets with the Gators, UF was able to capitalize on the leads it gained at the bottom three positions for the win.
On court 5, No. 37 Gator Danilina retired State's Lizariturry 6-0, 6-0 to extend UF's lead to 2-0. Following on court 4, Florida's Austin held off MSU's Anastasia Rentouli in a close first set to go on for a 7-5, 6-1 win to extend Florida's lead to 3-0.
But MSU would bounce back to win the next two matches, putting the Bulldogs within one at 3-2. In a Top 10 battle on court 1, State's 10th-ranked Lee upended the Gators' sixth-ranked Woolcock 6-2, 6-3 for the State All-American's highest ranked victory of the season. At the No. 3 position, MSU's unranked Harrison upset UF's No. 29 Neel 7-6(1), 6-4, posting her third ranked win of the season and marking the second-highest ranked player the State junior has ever defeated.
In what ultimately became the deciding match at No. 6, Florida's 75th-ranked Spencer Liang fought off a tough challenge from State's Brown in the first set and went on to claim a 7-5, 6-1 victory.
The remaining match was suspended with the Maroon & White's Rioux closing in on an upset of UF's 16th-ranked Kuhlman on court 2, holding a 7-5, 4-3 lead.
"We had our chances today and came up just short," head coach Daryl Greenan said. "Once again I am proud of our effort. Our girls put their heart and soul into every match and we have played better every week this spring. We will have a few days to rest and recover from a grueling season and then begin preparing for the NCAA Tournament. Our girls are confident and excited about our post season opportunities."
Up Next
The Bulldogs now wait to see where they will continue postseason play in the 2017 NCAA Team Championship. The selection show for this year's national championship field will be held Tuesday, May 2, at 4 p.m. CT and will be streamed live on NCAA.com. State is fully expected to receive an NCAA bid for the third consecutive season and seventh time in school history.
Additional Notes
Social Media
For more information on the Mississippi State women's tennis program, follow "HailStateWT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
No. 1 Florida 4, No. 20 Mississippi State 2
2017 SEC Women's Tennis Championship, Quarterfinals
April 21, 2017 – Currey Tennis Center – Nashville, Tenn.
Doubles
Order of match finish…3,2
1. No. 17 Anna Danilina/Ingrid Neel (UF) vs. No. 5 Jasmine Lee/Lisa Marie Rioux (MSU) 5-3 (susp.)
2. No. 20 Brooke Austin/Kourtney Keegan (UF) def. Jennifer Brown/Khrystyna Vozniak (MSU) 6-2
3. No. 42 Josie Kuhlman/Belinda Woolcock (UF) def. Madison Harrison/Sara Lizariturry (MSU) 6-2
Singles
Order of match finish…5,4,1,3,6
1. No. 10 Jasmine Lee (MSU) def. No. 6 Belinda Woolcock (UF) 6-2, 6-3
2. Lisa Marie Rioux (MSU) vs. No. 16 Josie Kuhlman (UF) 7-5, 4-3 (susp.)
3. Madison Harrison (MSU) def. No. 29 Ingrid Neel (UF) 7-6(1), 6-4
4. Brooke Austin (UF) def. Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) 7-5, 6-1
5. No. 37 Anna Danilina (UF) def. Sara Lizariturry (MSU) 6-0, 6-0
6. No. 75 Spencer Liang (UF) def. Jennifer Brown (MSU) 7-5, 6-1
Florida came out strong in doubles to take the early 1-0 lead. On court 3, UF's 42nd-ranked Josie Kuhlman and Belinda Woolcock overpowered MSU's Madison Harrison and Sara Lizariturry 6-2. To clinch the doubles point, Florida's 20th-ranked Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan downed State's Jennifer Brown and Khrystyna Vozniak by the same score at the No. 2 position. The remaining match was suspended with the 17th-ranked Gator pair of Anna Danilina and Ingrid Neel leading the fifth-ranked Bulldog pair of Jasmine Lee and Lisa Marie Rioux 5-3 at No. 1.
Despite State putting up a strong rally effort in singles by splitting the opening sets with the Gators, UF was able to capitalize on the leads it gained at the bottom three positions for the win.
On court 5, No. 37 Gator Danilina retired State's Lizariturry 6-0, 6-0 to extend UF's lead to 2-0. Following on court 4, Florida's Austin held off MSU's Anastasia Rentouli in a close first set to go on for a 7-5, 6-1 win to extend Florida's lead to 3-0.
But MSU would bounce back to win the next two matches, putting the Bulldogs within one at 3-2. In a Top 10 battle on court 1, State's 10th-ranked Lee upended the Gators' sixth-ranked Woolcock 6-2, 6-3 for the State All-American's highest ranked victory of the season. At the No. 3 position, MSU's unranked Harrison upset UF's No. 29 Neel 7-6(1), 6-4, posting her third ranked win of the season and marking the second-highest ranked player the State junior has ever defeated.
In what ultimately became the deciding match at No. 6, Florida's 75th-ranked Spencer Liang fought off a tough challenge from State's Brown in the first set and went on to claim a 7-5, 6-1 victory.
The remaining match was suspended with the Maroon & White's Rioux closing in on an upset of UF's 16th-ranked Kuhlman on court 2, holding a 7-5, 4-3 lead.
"We had our chances today and came up just short," head coach Daryl Greenan said. "Once again I am proud of our effort. Our girls put their heart and soul into every match and we have played better every week this spring. We will have a few days to rest and recover from a grueling season and then begin preparing for the NCAA Tournament. Our girls are confident and excited about our post season opportunities."
Up Next
The Bulldogs now wait to see where they will continue postseason play in the 2017 NCAA Team Championship. The selection show for this year's national championship field will be held Tuesday, May 2, at 4 p.m. CT and will be streamed live on NCAA.com. State is fully expected to receive an NCAA bid for the third consecutive season and seventh time in school history.
Additional Notes
- Florida now leads the all-time series 37-0
- No. 10 Jasmine Lee improved to 22-6 overall in singles play
- Both Lee and Madison Harrison posted victories against ranked opponents in singles
- The ranked wins were the highest of the season for both players
- Lee has now retired 43 ranked opponents over her career
Social Media
For more information on the Mississippi State women's tennis program, follow "HailStateWT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
No. 1 Florida 4, No. 20 Mississippi State 2
2017 SEC Women's Tennis Championship, Quarterfinals
April 21, 2017 – Currey Tennis Center – Nashville, Tenn.
Doubles
Order of match finish…3,2
1. No. 17 Anna Danilina/Ingrid Neel (UF) vs. No. 5 Jasmine Lee/Lisa Marie Rioux (MSU) 5-3 (susp.)
2. No. 20 Brooke Austin/Kourtney Keegan (UF) def. Jennifer Brown/Khrystyna Vozniak (MSU) 6-2
3. No. 42 Josie Kuhlman/Belinda Woolcock (UF) def. Madison Harrison/Sara Lizariturry (MSU) 6-2
Singles
Order of match finish…5,4,1,3,6
1. No. 10 Jasmine Lee (MSU) def. No. 6 Belinda Woolcock (UF) 6-2, 6-3
2. Lisa Marie Rioux (MSU) vs. No. 16 Josie Kuhlman (UF) 7-5, 4-3 (susp.)
3. Madison Harrison (MSU) def. No. 29 Ingrid Neel (UF) 7-6(1), 6-4
4. Brooke Austin (UF) def. Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) 7-5, 6-1
5. No. 37 Anna Danilina (UF) def. Sara Lizariturry (MSU) 6-0, 6-0
6. No. 75 Spencer Liang (UF) def. Jennifer Brown (MSU) 7-5, 6-1
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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