State Women’s Tennis To Close Non-Conference Action At USF Friday

Friday, February 22

Tampa, Fla.

12:00 PM

Mississippi State

South Florida

Mississippi State’s women’s tennis team (9-2) will close out non-conference play at 12 p.m. CT on Friday at the Varsity Tennis Courts versus the Bulls of South Florida (4-5).

State Women’s Tennis To Close Non-Conference Action At USF Friday

February 21, 2019 | Women's Tennis

by Emily Pschigoda, Student Assistant/Communications

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State's women's tennis team (9-2) will close out non-conference play at 12 p.m. CT on Friday at the Varsity Tennis Courts versus the Bulls of South Florida (4-5). The Bulldogs are 2-2 when on the road in 2019, while USF is 2-2 at home.

Currently on a seven-match win streak, MSU also has seven players holding active, multi-match singles victory strings. Senior captain Anastasia Rentouli currently leads the way, having won her last 10 contests. Rookie and 104th-ranked Emma Antonaki holds the second-longest streak, having taken eight straight singles matches in dual play.

Sophomore Magda Adaloglou has claimed her last six matches in a row, senior Janina Braun has won five-consecutive affairs, and junior Sara Lizariturry has been victorious in four-straight matchups.

Under 10th-year head coach Daryl Greenan, MSU is 81-34 (.704) in non-conference matches.

Bulldogs In The Oracle ITA Rankings …
Two Bulldogs hold national spots in singles. Adaloglou moved up to the 89th-ranked singles spot this week, holding a 13-8 overall singles mark through fall tournament play and 11 dual matches. The freshman Antonaki is the 104th-ranked player nationally, boasting a 17-6 overall record in singles action, including the highest ranked victory by a rookie in program history during fall action.

Know The Foe: South Florida
The Bulldogs' final matchup of non-conference action comes against the 4-5 South Florida Bulls. MSU is USF's fifth SEC opponent of 2019 dual play. The Bulls have dropped decisions to LSU, Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee – the last three on the road. In 2018, USF closed their season with an 11-11 overall mark. State last met USF on March 6, 2000, as the Bulldogs took an 8-1 decision in Tampa. The series between MSU and USF began in 1989 with a neutral site match in Tucson, Arizona, and is currently tied 3-3. The other five meetings have all been held in Tampa. Ana Roman Dominiquez leads the Bulls, resting as the 44th-ranked player in the nation with a 7-1 dual match singles record at the top position.

Need To Know …

Mississippi State is playing its 94^th season of women's tennis, with Daryl Greenan in his 10th season at the helm.
The series between MSU and South Florida dates back to 1989 and is tied 3-3.
The teams will meet for the seventh time overall, with State trailing 3-2 in Tampa.
MSU won the last meeting, an 8-1 decision over USF on March 6, 2000.
The Bulldogs have won their last 37 non-conference matches at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
Under Greenan, State is 81-34 (.704) in non-conference matches.
True freshman Emma Antonaki leads the Bulldogs' newcomers in singles wins (17) in 2018-19, with two top 60 wins.
Senior Anastasia Rentouli currently stands 4th all-time at MSU in total career victories (138), 2nd in singles wins (80).
The 2018 All-SEC selection Rentouli is also undefeated (8-0) so far in 2019 in dual match singles action and holds a 10-match singles win streak overall.
All seven Bulldogs currently hold multi-match, active win streaks.

Live Video/Scoring
Live scoring for Friday's match can be found HERE.

Last Time Out For MSU …
For the third straight weekend, State posted a Saturday doubleheader sweep. State took 7-0, 4-0 decisions over North Alabama on Saturday (Feb. 16). MSU has outscored opponents 39-1 at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre this season.

Next Up For MSU …
Following Friday's matchup with the Bulls, State enters SEC play in Columbia, South Carolina, against the sixth-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks at 4 p.m. CT on Friday, March 1. State will stay on the road on March 3, taking on Florida in Gainesville at Noon CT.

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