Bulldogs Go 9-3, Claim Two Consolation Crowns, To Close Out Roberta Alison

Saturday, November 2

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

All Day

Mississippi State

Roberta Alison Invitational

Bulldogs Go 9-3, Claim Two Consolation Crowns, To Close Out Roberta Alison

November 02, 2019 | Women's Tennis

Roberta Alison Draws (PDF)Roberta Alison Extra Matches

by Mikaela Elizondo, Graduate Assistant/Communications

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Mississippi State women's tennis team registered a 9-3 ledger (5-1 in singles) on the final day of the Roberta Alison Fall Classic Saturday with one doubles team claiming the consolation crown in their draw, as well as one singles player doing the same.

State opened day two with doubles action. Sara Lizariturry and Meredith Roberts claimed the consolation crown in the Leslie Grossman Draw by first defeating Thasaporn Naklo and Chie Kezuka of Iowa State 6-2 and then overpowering Ayana Akli and Eva Alexandrova of Maryland 6-3.

In the semifinals of the Hilde Otterman Draw, State's duo of Emma Antonaki and Valeria Nikolaev were victorious against South Alabama's Yu Fujioka and Nikola Kohoutova. In the finals, Antonaki and Nikolaev were handed a 6-0 defeat by Northwestern's Inci Ogut and Vanessa Streng.

Marta Falceto and Tamara Racine defeated Paola Cortez Varga and Taylor Dean of Kansas State to advance to the finals of the Millie Begovic Draw. The freshman-sophomore duo retired at 4-1 down against Alabama's Luca Fabian and Ann Selim when Racine suffered an injury.

Antonaki – ranked 41^st nationally – kicked off singles action on day two with a victory over Laura Bente of Memphis 7-6(2), 6-1 in the Nancy Harris Draw's 7th place match.

Against Indiana's Lexi Kubas in the 3^rd place match of the Alice Tunaru Draw, the rookie Falceto came out victorious with an impressive 7-5, 6-1 margin.

After recording her first collegiate singles victory on Friday in the Mary Anne Macfarlane Draw consolation bracket, the redshirt freshman Nikolaev defeated Matea Mihaljevic of Troy 6-1, 7-5 to claim the consolation crown in that draw.

The senior Lizariturry, playing in the 3rd place match of the Amy Mascotii Draw, recorded a marathon win for the Bulldogs against Clemson's Laura Marti Saturday, digging deep to pull out a tight three-set battle 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5).

In the 3^rd place match of the Alexa Guarachi Draw, Wisconsin's Ava Markham handed the Bulldogs their only singles loss of the day as Racine fell in a three-set battle 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

After her consolation opponent withdrew, Roberts competed in an extra match against Kansas State's Sofia Pinedo, cruising past the Wildcat 6-3, 6-3.

MSU finished the tournament with a 16-10 record for a .615 win percentage, marking their highest this fall in a single event.

The Bulldogs will conclude the 2019 fall slate Nov. 8-10 at the Arizona State Invitational in Tempe, Arizona.

For more information on Mississippi State women's tennis team, visit HailState.com and follow "HailStateWT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

MSU Women's Tennis Results at the 2019 Roberta Alison Fall Classic - Day 2
November 2, 2019 – Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Doubles
Leslie Grossman Draw
Semifinals (Consolation) — Sara Lizariturry/Meredith Roberts (MSU) def. Thasaporn Naklo/Chie Kezuka (Iowa State) 6-2
Finals (Consolation) — Lizariturry/Roberts (MSU) def. Ayana Akli/Eva Alexandrova (Maryland) 6-3

Hilde Otterman Draw
Semifinals — Emma Antonaki/Valeria Nikolaev (MSU) def. Yu Fujioka/Nikola Kohoutova (South Alabama) 6-4
Finals — Inci Ogut/Vanessa Streng (Northwestern) def. Antonaki/Nikolaev (MSU) 6-0

Millie Begovic Draw
Semifinals — Marta Falceto/Tamara Racine (MSU) def. Paola Cortez Varga/Taylor Dean (Kansas State) 6-3
Finals — Luca Fabian/Ann Selim (Alabama) def. Falceto/Racine (MSU) 4-1, ret.

Singles
Nancy Harris Draw
7^th Place Match — #41 Antonaki (MSU) def. Laura Bente (Memphis) 7-6(2), 6-1

Alexa Guarachi Draw
3^rd Place Match — Ava Markham (Wisconsin) def. Racine (MSU) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2

Alice Tunaru Draw
3^rd Place Match — Falceto (MSU) def. Lexi Kubas (Indiana) 7-5, 6-1

Mary Anne Macfarlane Draw
Finals (Consolation) — Nikolaev (MSU) def. Matea Mihaljevic (Troy) 6-1, 7-5

Amy Mascotti Draw
3^rd Place Match — Lizariturry (MSU) def. Laura Marti (Clemson) 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5)

Extra Match
Roberts (MSU) def. Sofia Pinedo (Kansas State) 6-3, 6-3

Numbers preceding names indicate current ITA national rankings