Women's Tennis Goes 5-1 On Day One At SMU Invite

Friday, October 5

Dallas, Texas

All Day

Mississippi State

SMU Invite

Braun’s thrilling come-from-behind victory highlighted Friday afternoon’s singles action.

Photo by: Trevor Birchett/MSU Athletics

Women's Tennis Goes 5-1 On Day One At SMU Invite

October 05, 2018 | Women's Tennis

by Emily Pschigoda, Student Assistant/Communications

DALLAS, Texas – Mississippi State's women's tennis' contingent faired favorably on the opening day of the SMU Invitational on Friday. State earned a 1-1 ledger in doubles and earned a pristine 4-0 mark in singles to register a 5-1 ledger overall.

Doubles competition kicked off Friday with MSU senior Janina Braun and junior Sara Lizariturry toppling Eleanor Adams and Nini Memishishi of Abilene Christian 6-4. Braun and Lizariturry picked up their inaugural win as a tandem to move into the semifinals of the #1 Doubles draw. They are set to meet Sarai Monarrez Yesaki and Tiffany Hollebeck of host SMU at 10 a.m. CT.

State's rookie twosome of Tamara Racine and Meredith Roberts faltered in its doubles debut. Also in the #1 Doubles draw, Houston's Phonexay Chitdara and Sophie Gerits took the match, 6-3, to send Racine and Roberts into Saturday's consolation semifinals where the pair will battle Georgia State's tandem of Daniela Ramirez and Andreea Stanescu, also in a 10 a.m. matchup.

The Bulldogs came out swinging in singles play on Friday, posting an unbeaten 4-0 mark, propelling each player into the semifinals on Saturday.

Braun's thrilling come-from-behind victory highlighted Friday afternoon's singles action. After dropping the first set and falling behind 4-1 in the second set, the State veteran rallied to take the match 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 from Austin Peay State's Lidia Yanes Garcia in the #1 Singles draw. Braun advances to semifinal action where she will meet Tatiana Makarova of Texas A&M Saturday.

MSU sophomore transfer Meredith Roberts, also competing in #1 Singles, notched a straight-set win in dominating host SMU's Ana Perez-Lopez 6-1, 6-4 on her home court. The MSU rookie improved to 3-1 this fall and will face Georgia State's Ramirez in Saturday's semis.

The rookie Racine, playing in #2 Singles, improved to 2-1 on the year after picking up a straight-set decision of her own, downing Phonexay Chitdara of Houston 6-1, 6-4. Racine will go racquet-to-racquet with Fabienne Schmidt of Austin Peay State in the semifinals.

Rounding out State's perfect singles record Friday was the junior Lizariturry. Fresh off a singles flight title at the Debbie Southern Fall Classic last month, she posted a 6-2, 6-4 victory by taking down Houston's Constandena Nicolaou, also in the #2 draw. Up next, Lizariturry meets Camille Townsend of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday in the semis.

"I thought we were a little tentative in doubles, but we did a better job competing in singles," said head coach Daryl Greenan. "All four girls earned solid wins to make it a solid day overall."

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MSU Women's Tennis Results at the SMU Invitational
October 5, 2018 – Dallas, Texas

Doubles
#1 Doubles Draw
First Round– Janina Braun/Sara Lizariturry (MSU) def. Eleanor Adams/Nina Memishishi (Abilene Christian) 6-4; Phonexay Chitdara/Sophie Gerits (Houston) def. Tamara Racine/Meredith Roberts (MSU) 6-3

Singles
#1 Singles Draw
First Round – Braun (MSU) def. Lidia Yanes Garcia (Austin Peay State) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Roberts (MSU) def. Ana Perez-Lopez (SMU) 6-1, 6-4
#2 Singles Draw
First Round – Racine (MSU) def. Phonexay Chitdara (Houston) 6-1, 6-4; Lizariturry (MSU) def. Constandena Nicolaou (Houston) 6-2, 6-4