Saturday, October 10
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
All Day
Mississippi State
vs
SEC Challenge #1
Freshman Marta Falceto led the Bulldogs with two victories on day two of the SEC Challenge Saturday.
Falceto Leads Bulldogs On Day Two Of SEC Challenge
October 10, 2020 | Women's Tennis
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Mississippi State freshman Marta Falceto recorded two wins over players from Georgia Saturday to lead State on day two of the SEC Challenge. Play was held indoors at Alabama's Baumgardner Tennis Facility due to rainy and windy conditions outdoors.
"The competition was strong today and we came up on the losing end in some good battles," head coach Daryl Greenan said. "Matches like today give us a better indication of where we need to be to compete at the highest level. The fact that our girls earned so many opportunities is encouraging. I think we are on the right track and need to keep working hard with only minor adjustments. Eventually we need to gain confidence and play with a higher level of trust in our offense. We are competing well and I am happy overall with the effort our girls are displaying."
Falceto opened the day with a lengthy doubles battle, pairing with fellow freshman Alexandra Mikhailuk. The duo fought valiantly to win a tiebreak over Alee Clayton and Marta Gonzalez of Georgia 7-6(10), including claiming two straight points with UGA serving for the match at 10-9 in the tiebreaker.
Falceto and Clayton met later in singles action, where Falceto earned a three-set victory in comeback fashion. After surrendering the first set 6-4, the Zaragoza, Spain, native convincingly took the second set 6-2, before securing the victory in a tight third set, securing a 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 triumph.
State's other doubles tandem of Lilian Poling and Tamara Racine was overturned by Georgia's Elena Christofi and Morgan Coppoc in a 6-3 decision.
In Saturday's other singles matches, which featured three UGA players who were ranked nationally last spring, the Athens-based Bulldogs claimed some close first sets to go on and take all four affairs, but not without some fight from State.
Georgia All-American Katarina Jokic fended off MSU's Racine 6-4, 6-2. After a close first set, Poling fell to UGA's Ariana Arseneault 7-5, 6-3. UGA's Marta Gonzalez held off State's Mikhailuk by the same 7-5, 6-3 score. Rounding out the day's action, MSU's Valeria Nikolaev was edged by Georgia's Christofi but not without pushing her to three sets in a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 decision.
The Bulldogs conclude play in the SEC Challenge Sunday, beginning with doubles at 9 a.m. CT and singles to follow.
For more information on Mississippi State women's tennis team, visit HailState.com and follow "HailStateWT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
MSU at the 2020 SEC Challenge - October 10, 2020
Roberta Alison Baumgardner Tennis Facility - Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Doubles
Elena Christofi/Morgan Coppoc (UGA) def. Lilian Poling/Tamara Racine (MSU) 6-3
Marta Falceto/Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) def. Alee Clayton/Marta Gonzalez (UGA) 7-6(10)
Singles
Katarina Jokic (UGA) def. Tamara Racine (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
Marta Gonzalez (UGA) def. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) 7-5, 6-3
Ariana Arseneault (UGA) def. Lilian Poling (MSU) 7-5, 6-3
Elena Christofi (UGA) def. Valeria Nikolaev (MSU) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
Marta Falceto (MSU) def. Alee Clayton (UGA) 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
"The competition was strong today and we came up on the losing end in some good battles," head coach Daryl Greenan said. "Matches like today give us a better indication of where we need to be to compete at the highest level. The fact that our girls earned so many opportunities is encouraging. I think we are on the right track and need to keep working hard with only minor adjustments. Eventually we need to gain confidence and play with a higher level of trust in our offense. We are competing well and I am happy overall with the effort our girls are displaying."
Falceto opened the day with a lengthy doubles battle, pairing with fellow freshman Alexandra Mikhailuk. The duo fought valiantly to win a tiebreak over Alee Clayton and Marta Gonzalez of Georgia 7-6(10), including claiming two straight points with UGA serving for the match at 10-9 in the tiebreaker.
Falceto and Clayton met later in singles action, where Falceto earned a three-set victory in comeback fashion. After surrendering the first set 6-4, the Zaragoza, Spain, native convincingly took the second set 6-2, before securing the victory in a tight third set, securing a 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 triumph.
State's other doubles tandem of Lilian Poling and Tamara Racine was overturned by Georgia's Elena Christofi and Morgan Coppoc in a 6-3 decision.
In Saturday's other singles matches, which featured three UGA players who were ranked nationally last spring, the Athens-based Bulldogs claimed some close first sets to go on and take all four affairs, but not without some fight from State.
Georgia All-American Katarina Jokic fended off MSU's Racine 6-4, 6-2. After a close first set, Poling fell to UGA's Ariana Arseneault 7-5, 6-3. UGA's Marta Gonzalez held off State's Mikhailuk by the same 7-5, 6-3 score. Rounding out the day's action, MSU's Valeria Nikolaev was edged by Georgia's Christofi but not without pushing her to three sets in a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 decision.
The Bulldogs conclude play in the SEC Challenge Sunday, beginning with doubles at 9 a.m. CT and singles to follow.
For more information on Mississippi State women's tennis team, visit HailState.com and follow "HailStateWT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
MSU at the 2020 SEC Challenge - October 10, 2020
Roberta Alison Baumgardner Tennis Facility - Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Doubles
Elena Christofi/Morgan Coppoc (UGA) def. Lilian Poling/Tamara Racine (MSU) 6-3
Marta Falceto/Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) def. Alee Clayton/Marta Gonzalez (UGA) 7-6(10)
Singles
Katarina Jokic (UGA) def. Tamara Racine (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
Marta Gonzalez (UGA) def. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) 7-5, 6-3
Ariana Arseneault (UGA) def. Lilian Poling (MSU) 7-5, 6-3
Elena Christofi (UGA) def. Valeria Nikolaev (MSU) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
Marta Falceto (MSU) def. Alee Clayton (UGA) 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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