MSU Falls To UCSB To Wrap Up ITA Kick-Off Weekend

Sunday, January 27

Gainesville, Fla.

11:00 AM

Mississippi State

Santa Barbara

Despite several hard-fought battles around the courts, Mississippi State’s women’s tennis squad (2-2) fell to UCSB (1-1) in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend consolation match Sunday.

MSU Falls To UCSB To Wrap Up ITA Kick-Off Weekend

January 27, 2019 | Women's Tennis

2019 ITA Kick-Off Weekend HQ (National Site)

by Emily Pschigoda, Student Assistant/Communications

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Despite several hard-fought battles around the courts, Mississippi State's women's tennis squad (2-2) fell to UCSB (1-1) in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend consolation match Sunday. The match was played indoors at Florida's Ring Tennis Complex.

The Gauchos took an early edge, capturing the doubles point via victories on courts 1 and 2. On court 3, Sara Lizariturry and Tamara Racine held off Amit Lev-Ari and Lise Sentenac 6-3 to pick up a doubles victory for State.

At No. 2, the Bulldogs' Emma Antonaki and Anastasia Rentouli stumbled to Anastasia Goncharova and Juliana Valero 6-2. In the deciding match at the top spot, Magda Adaloglou and Janina Braun dropped a marathon 7-5 contest to the tandem of Elizaveta Volodko and Stephanie Yamada to give the Gauchos a 1-0 lead in the match.

In singles action, MSU opened with promise as Rentouli overpowered Lev-Ari 6-4, 6-0 on court 3 to even things at 1-1. State's 56^th-ranked Adaloglou was then held off in a tough 6-3, 7-6(5) decision by Gaucho Dominika Paterova on court 1.

MSU regained the lead at 3-2 with triumphs from a pair of rookies at the No. 2 and 4 positions. In a come-from-behind effort, MSU's 55^th-ranked true freshman Antonaki downed UCSB's Volodko 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4. Fellow newcomer Racine gave MSU more momentum with a 6-4, 6-1 overtaking of UCSB's Yamada at No. 4.

In the late hours of the match, State's junior Lizariturry rallied back from a set down and a 4-1 third-set deficit to get back on serve at the No. 5 spot before ultimately falling in heartbreaking fashion to Sentenac 6-4, 2-6, 7-5. With the match tied at 3-3, UCSB was able to edge out the Bulldogs at No. 6 where Goncharova fought MSU's Braun in a very tight first set to go on to a 7-6(3), 6-2 match-clinching decision.

"That was a heartbreaking loss for our girls today. We missed out on a great opportunity to get a big, early-season win," said head coach Daryl Greenan. "I give USCB credit for playing with a little more courage than us today. We just have to learn from the losses this weekend and make some adjustments. I have confidence we have the talent and the desire to play at a higher level."

Next Up For MSU…
Competing for the first time in Starkville this season, the Bulldogs will host Alcorn State in a doubleheader next Saturday (Feb. 2) at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. CT. It will be the first of three-consecutive weekends State will host matches at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. Admission to all MSU home tennis matches is free.

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

UCSB 4, Mississippi State 3
Jan. 27, 2019
Gainesville, Fla. – Ring Tennis Complex (Indoors)

Doubles
1. Elizaveta Volodko/Stephanie Yamada (UCSB) def. Magda Adaloglou/Janina Braun (MSU) 7-5
2. Anastasia Goncharova/Juliana Valero (UCSB) def. Emma Antonaki/Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) 6-2
3. Sara Lizariturry/Tamara Racine (MSU) def. Amit Lev-Ari/Lise Sentenac (UCSB) 6-3
Order of finish: 2,3,1

Singles
1. Dominika Paterova (UCSB) def. No. 56 Adaloglou (MSU) 6-3, 7-6(5)
2. No. 55 Antonaki (MSU) def. Volodko (UCSB) 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4
3. Rentouli (MSU) def. Lev-Ari (UCSB) 6-4, 6-0
4. Racine (MSU) def. Yamada (UCSB) 6-4, 6-1
5. Sentenac (UCSB) def. Lizariturry (MSU) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5
6. Goncharova (UCSB) def. Braun (MSU) 7-6(3), 6-2
Order of finish: 3,1,2,4,5,6