Saturday, May 12
Chapel Hill, N.C.
2:00 PM
Mississippi State
0
at
4
North Carolina
Despite a late rally, State could not overcome the early dominance established by No. 1 North Carolina.
Photo by: Trevor Birchett/MSU Athletics
No. 31 MSU Women’s Tennis Falls To No. 1 North Carolina In NCAA 2nd Round
May 12, 2018 | Women's Tennis
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Concluding another great season, the 31st-ranked Mississippi State women's tennis team (16-11) could not overcome an early deficit by top-ranked and second-seeded North Carolina (28-3), falling 4-0 in NCAA Second Round action Saturday at UNC's Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.
"We put up a great fight, but North Carolina was the better team today," head coach Daryl Greenan said. "We started off strong in doubles but didn't capitalize on a few opportunities, and you can't afford that against a team like UNC. They carried the momentum and looked very confident in singles. We did an excellent job of battling and seemed to be slowly climbing back into the match. It ended up being too little too late, but I am extremely proud of our girls' effort. I will be forever thankful for our team's commitment and effort this year. We had some awesome highlights and it was a lot of fun. This team and season will always hold a special place in my heart."
Saturday's match started with the Tar Heels grabbing the opening doubles point. UNC's second-ranked Jessie Aney and Alexa Graham downed State's No. 49 Madison Harrison and Khrystyna Vozniak 6-2 on court 1. At No. 3, the Tar Heel duo of Marika Akkerman and Makenna Jones outlasted MSU's Sara Lizariturry and Anastasia Rentouli 6-3 to clinch the doubles point and give UNC an early 1-0 lead. The teams were tied 4-4 on court 2 when play was suspended.
The Tar Heels continued their momentum in singles, taking five of the first six sets against the Bulldogs, ultimately taking the first three matches to finish. But the Bulldogs gave a late push before UNC was finally able to get the clinching point.
First off the courts, UNC's 26th-ranked Alle Sanford posted a straight set – 6-1, 6-2 – triumph against MSU's Janina Braun on court 2. Following close behind at No. 1, the Tar Heels' second-ranked Jones notched her own straight set win against State's Harrison 6-2, 6-0.
State was up a set in only one of the remaining four matches, but fought hard down the stretch to try and pull off an epic comeback. The fourth and final point took much longer to secure with the Bulldogs pushing one match to a third set and owning the lead on court three.
UNC finally got the point it needed, when No. 95 Graham held off the Maroon & White's freshman Magda Adaloglou 6-3, 7-5 on court 4, securing the 4-0 victory for the host team.
The remaining three matches were suspended with State's Rentouli leading 7-5, 3-4 on court 3 against UNC's No. 46 Sara Daavettila. At No. 5, MSU's Vozniak led UNC's Aney 3-6, 6-4, 2-1. On court 6, State's Lizariturry was down a set but up 3-2 in a second-set tiebreaker when play was suspended - 2-6, 6-6(3-2).
The 2018 Bulldog women's tennis squad made a program-record, fourth-consecutive NCAA appearance and upset two top 15 teams this season, including the NCAA's No. 1 national seed – SEC Champion Vanderbilt. State also won a program-best five-straight matches in the powerful Southeastern Conference in March.
With Friday's victory over William & Mary, Greenan now has the most head coaching wins in MSU women's tennis history.
For more information on the Mississippi State women's tennis program, follow "HailStateWT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
No. 1 North Carolina 4, No. 31 Mississippi State 0
2018 NCAA Women's Team Championship - Second Round
May 12, 2018 - Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center - Chapel Hill, N.C.
Doubles
1. No. 2 Jessie Aney/Alexa Graham (UNC) def. No. 49 Madison Harrison/Khrystyna Vozniak (MSU) 6-2
2. Magda Adaloglou/Janina Braun (MSU) vs. Sara Daavettila/Alle Sanford (UNC) 4-4 (susp.)
3. Marika Akkerman/Makenna Jones (UNC) def. Sara Lizariturry/Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) 6-3
Order of finish: 1, 3
Singles
1. No. 2 Makenna Jones (UNC) def. Madison Harrison (MSU) 6-2, 6-0
2. No. 26 Alle Sanford (UNC) def. Janina Braun (MSU) 6-1, 6-2
3. Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) vs. No. 46 Sara Daavettila (UNC) 7-5, 3-4 (susp.)
4. No. 95 Alexa Graham (UNC) def. Magda Adaloglou (MSU) 6-3, 7-5
5. Khrystyna Vozniak (MSU) vs. No. 85 Jessie Aney (UNC) 3-6, 6-4, 2-1 (susp.)
6. Sara Lizariturry (MSU) vs. No. 119 Ouellet-Pizer (UNC) 2-6, 6-6 (3-2) (susp.)
Order of finish: 2, 1, 4
"We put up a great fight, but North Carolina was the better team today," head coach Daryl Greenan said. "We started off strong in doubles but didn't capitalize on a few opportunities, and you can't afford that against a team like UNC. They carried the momentum and looked very confident in singles. We did an excellent job of battling and seemed to be slowly climbing back into the match. It ended up being too little too late, but I am extremely proud of our girls' effort. I will be forever thankful for our team's commitment and effort this year. We had some awesome highlights and it was a lot of fun. This team and season will always hold a special place in my heart."
Saturday's match started with the Tar Heels grabbing the opening doubles point. UNC's second-ranked Jessie Aney and Alexa Graham downed State's No. 49 Madison Harrison and Khrystyna Vozniak 6-2 on court 1. At No. 3, the Tar Heel duo of Marika Akkerman and Makenna Jones outlasted MSU's Sara Lizariturry and Anastasia Rentouli 6-3 to clinch the doubles point and give UNC an early 1-0 lead. The teams were tied 4-4 on court 2 when play was suspended.
The Tar Heels continued their momentum in singles, taking five of the first six sets against the Bulldogs, ultimately taking the first three matches to finish. But the Bulldogs gave a late push before UNC was finally able to get the clinching point.
First off the courts, UNC's 26th-ranked Alle Sanford posted a straight set – 6-1, 6-2 – triumph against MSU's Janina Braun on court 2. Following close behind at No. 1, the Tar Heels' second-ranked Jones notched her own straight set win against State's Harrison 6-2, 6-0.
State was up a set in only one of the remaining four matches, but fought hard down the stretch to try and pull off an epic comeback. The fourth and final point took much longer to secure with the Bulldogs pushing one match to a third set and owning the lead on court three.
UNC finally got the point it needed, when No. 95 Graham held off the Maroon & White's freshman Magda Adaloglou 6-3, 7-5 on court 4, securing the 4-0 victory for the host team.
The remaining three matches were suspended with State's Rentouli leading 7-5, 3-4 on court 3 against UNC's No. 46 Sara Daavettila. At No. 5, MSU's Vozniak led UNC's Aney 3-6, 6-4, 2-1. On court 6, State's Lizariturry was down a set but up 3-2 in a second-set tiebreaker when play was suspended - 2-6, 6-6(3-2).
The 2018 Bulldog women's tennis squad made a program-record, fourth-consecutive NCAA appearance and upset two top 15 teams this season, including the NCAA's No. 1 national seed – SEC Champion Vanderbilt. State also won a program-best five-straight matches in the powerful Southeastern Conference in March.
With Friday's victory over William & Mary, Greenan now has the most head coaching wins in MSU women's tennis history.
For more information on the Mississippi State women's tennis program, follow "HailStateWT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
No. 1 North Carolina 4, No. 31 Mississippi State 0
2018 NCAA Women's Team Championship - Second Round
May 12, 2018 - Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center - Chapel Hill, N.C.
Doubles
1. No. 2 Jessie Aney/Alexa Graham (UNC) def. No. 49 Madison Harrison/Khrystyna Vozniak (MSU) 6-2
2. Magda Adaloglou/Janina Braun (MSU) vs. Sara Daavettila/Alle Sanford (UNC) 4-4 (susp.)
3. Marika Akkerman/Makenna Jones (UNC) def. Sara Lizariturry/Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) 6-3
Order of finish: 1, 3
Singles
1. No. 2 Makenna Jones (UNC) def. Madison Harrison (MSU) 6-2, 6-0
2. No. 26 Alle Sanford (UNC) def. Janina Braun (MSU) 6-1, 6-2
3. Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) vs. No. 46 Sara Daavettila (UNC) 7-5, 3-4 (susp.)
4. No. 95 Alexa Graham (UNC) def. Magda Adaloglou (MSU) 6-3, 7-5
5. Khrystyna Vozniak (MSU) vs. No. 85 Jessie Aney (UNC) 3-6, 6-4, 2-1 (susp.)
6. Sara Lizariturry (MSU) vs. No. 119 Ouellet-Pizer (UNC) 2-6, 6-6 (3-2) (susp.)
Order of finish: 2, 1, 4
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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