Bulldogs Sweep Saturday Doubleheader To Open 2019 On Strong Note

Saturday, January 19

Birmingham, Ala.

10:00 AM

Mississippi State

Chattanooga

On a stormy and stuffy January day in the Yellowhammer State, the Mississippi State women's tennis team inaugurated the 2019 dual match season by sweeping a doubleheader indoors.

Bulldogs Sweep Saturday Doubleheader To Open 2019 On Strong Note

January 19, 2019 | Women's Tennis

by Emily Pschigoda, Student Assistant/Communications

STARKVILLE, Miss. – On a stormy and stuffy January day in the Yellowhammer State, the Mississippi State women's tennis team inaugurated the 2019 dual match season by sweeping a doubleheader indoors. The Bulldogs (2-0) earned a pair of impressive 6-1 victories over Chattanooga (0-1) and Samford (1-1) at SU's Courington Tennis Pavilion.

"I am proud of the job our girls did, overall, today. There were some nerves as expected and we definitely didn't play our best tennis, but it was a solid effort for the first matches of the season," said head coach Daryl Greenan. "Both opponents provided solid challenges up and down the lineup in both singles and doubles. It was exactly what we needed."

Match 1 – Mississippi State 6, Chattanooga 1

State earned a quick start to the day by making short work of Chattanooga for a 6-1 victory. The dominating takedown earned the Bulldogs their eighth straight season-opening victory, a streak dating back to the 2012 season.

In doubles, MSU claimed all three matches with 6-2 decisions. On court 1, MSU's pair of Sara Lizariturry and Tamara Racine gave the Bulldogs an early advantage, downing UTC's Delaney Edwards and Emma Van Hee. Moments later, Bulldogs Emma Antonaki and Anastasia Rentouli clinched the doubles point for the Maroon and White at No. 2, ousting Mocs Polina Goloputova and Annie Tarwater. State's hot start continued as Magda Adaloglou and Janina Braun rounded out the doubles sweep with a win at No. 3 over Lilly Holmes and Bogdana Zaporozhets.

Singles played a similar tune for State, with the Bulldogs taking five of six contests. The rookie and 55^th-ranked Antonaki made swift work of Chattanooga's Goloputova, taking a 6-0, 6-4 decision in her dual match singles debut at the top position. The 56^th-ranked Adaloglou likewise cruised to victory with a 6-2, 6-2 decision on court 2 over the Mocs' Edwards. Rentouli gave MSU's Greek trio a trifecta by clinching the morning affair with a 6-2, 6-2 decision over UTC's Zaporozhets at No. 3.

MSU continued with newcomer Tamara Racine in the No. 4 position, as she bested UTC's Caroline Hall 6-1, 6-1 with moments to spare before the senior Braun earned State's fifth singles win with a 6-1, 6-3 triumph at No. 5, downing Chattanooga's Van Hee. Sophomore transfer Meredith Roberts was State's lone victim in the contest, dropping a tight 6-2, 4-6, 1-0(4) marathon to Holmes on court 6.

Match 2 – Mississippi State 6, Samford 1

The back half of State's season-opening twinbill mirrored the morning, as the Bulldogs earned a rapid doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. Once again, the Maroon and White would take all three courts, with Lizariturry and Racine earning the clincher on court 3, 6-3 over Samford's tandem of Arianna Beltrame and Holly Horsfall.

In singles action, State once again earned five points to seal the deal, as Adaloglou, Braun, Lizariturry, Racine and Rentouli each earned straight-set victories to propel the Bulldogs to victory. MSU also earned a first-set win in all 12 singles contests on the day.

With the win, State remained perfect (7-0) all-time against Samford, including 3-0 in Birmingham.

Next Up For MSU…
Looking to ride the momentum from their two Saturday triumphs, the Bulldogs will next travel to Gainesville, Florida, for the ITA Kick-Off Weekend next week. There, MSU will take on North Carolina State Saturday, Jan. 26, at 1 p.m. CT in the opening round before facing either No. 11 host Florida or UCSB on Sunday.

Social Media
For more information on the Mississippi State women's tennis program, follow "HailStateWT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Mississippi State 6, Chattanooga 1
Jan. 19, 2019
Birmingham, Ala. - Pat M. Courington Tennis Pavillion

Doubles
1. Magda Adaloglou/Janina Braun (MSU) def. Delaney Edwards/Emma Van Hee (UTC) 6-2
2. Emma Antonaki/Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) def. Polina Goloputova/Annie Tarwater (UTC) 6-2
3. Sara Lizariturry/Tamara Racine (MSU) def. Lilly Holmes/Bogdana Zaporozhets (UTC) 6-2
Order of finish: 3,2,1

Singles
1. #55 Emma Antonaki (MSU) def. Polina Goloputova (UTC) 6-0, 6-4
2. #56 Magda Adaloglou (MSU) def. Delaney Edwards (UTC) 6-2, 6-2
3. Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) def. Bogdana Zaporozhets (UTC) 6-2, 6-2
4. Tamara Racine (MSU) def. Caroline Hall (UTC) 6-1, 6-0
5. Janina Braun (MSU) def. Emma Van Hee (UTC) 6-4, 6-2
6. Lilly Holmes (UTC) def. Meredith Roberts (MSU) 6-2, 4-6, 1-0(4)
Order of finish: 1,2,3,4,5,6

Mississippi State 6, Samford 1
Jan. 19, 2019
Birmingham, Ala. - Pat M. Courington Tennis Pavillion
Doubles
1. Magda Adaloglou/Janina Braun (MSU) def. Elsa Pool/Natalia De Ugarte/ (Samford) 6-4
2. Emma Antonaki/Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) def. Grace Jennings/MK Lewis (Samford) 6-1
3. Sara Lizariturry/Tamara Racine (MSU) def. Arianna Beltrame/Holly Horsfall (Samford) 6-3
Order of finish: 2,3,1

Singles
1. Grace Jennings (Samford) def. #55 Emma Antonaki (MSU) 0-6, 7-5, 7-6(5)
2. #56 Magda Adaloglou (MSU) def. Natalia De Ugarte (Samford) 6-2, 7-5
3. Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) vs. Elsa Pool (Samford) 6-1, 6-3,
4. Tamara Racine (MSU) def. Holly Hoorsfall (Samford) 6-1, 6-2
5. Sara Lizariturry (MSU) vs. Arianna Beltrame (Samford) 6-2, 6-4
6. Janina Braun (MSU) def. India Ampaw (Samford) 6-1, 6-2
Order of finish: 3,2,1,4,6,5