Friday, February 26
Starkville
3:00 PM
Mississippi State
4
vs
3
Tennessee
MSU Women’s Tennis Upsets No. 20 Tennessee In Thrilling 4-3 Comeback
February 26, 2021 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE – The Mississippi State women's tennis team found themselves down 2-0 early before fighting back with four three-set triumphs to post an exciting 4-3 upset of No. 20 Tennessee in front of a home crowd at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre Friday evening.
State improved to 9-2 overall, 1-2 in SEC play with the victory, while Tennessee dropped to 6-4, 0-2 in the league. The Vols still lead the all-time series 36-11, but MSU has claimed seven of the last nine matches between the teams, including five straight in Starkville.
The match marked the second-consecutive thriller between the two programs, as the Bulldogs also claimed last season's match by a 4-3 decision in Starkville, rallying from a 3-1 deficit in that contest.
"I am extremely proud of our effort today," MSU head coach Daryl Greenan said. "It is always an incredible college match when it comes down to a tiebreaker in the last match with the overall score tied 3-3. Tennessee is a very good team but our girls were hungry for a win after a disappointing road trip last week. In the end, I thought we did a couple things better in this match than last weekend. I would have been proud of our team today win or lose."
Tennessee drew first blood Friday, opening the match with a pair of victories in doubles on courts 1 and 3 to earn the first point of the day. At the top spot in the lineup, Volunteers Esther Adeshina and Daria Kuczer handed MSU's 41st-ranked Magda Adaloglou and Tamara Racine their first loss this season, 6-1. Bulldogs Chloé Cirotte and Lilian Poling then fell to UT's Carly Briggs and Callie Creath 6-3 on court 3. State's tandem of Emma Antonaki and Alexandra Mikhailuk were ahead 5-2 against Vols Tenika McGiffin and Eleonora Molinaro at No. 2 when play was suspended.
Tennessee went up 2-0 with a victory on court 3, where 52nd-ranked Rebeka Mertena notched a 6-2, 6-3 decision over MSU's Mikhailuk, but four three-set wins by the Bulldogs in the last five matches would prove to be the difference makers.
The 69th-ranked Antonaki fell 6-2 to Molinaro quickly in the first set. Behind 5-3 in the second set, the Athens, Greece, product won four straight games to rally back and take the second set 7-5. In the third, Antonaki rolled past Molinaro 6-2 to bounce back into the win column and put the momentum back on the Bulldogs' side. Antonaki now owns a near perfect 10-1 record in singles dual matches this spring and has claimed 17 of her last 18 singles outings, dating back to last season.
The Bulldog true freshman Cirotte then evened the match at 2-2 as she downed UT's Kuczer in comeback fashion - 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 - on court 5 to improve to 8-1 in dual matches in her rookie season.
The Vols went back on top at 3-2 when McGiffin edged State's Poling 7-5, 7-5 on court 4. With State having to have the last two matches for the win, the Bulldogs' Adaloglou and Falceto went to work to get those victories on courts 2 and 6, respectively.
At No. 2, Adaloglou knotted the match at 3-3 by taking an inspired three-set marathon 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 over Tennessee's No. 118 Briggs for her first ranked victory of the season. Adaloglou has won seven consecutive singles affairs and 17 of her last 19 dating back to last season. She is also now tied for eighth all-time in MSU women's tennis history with 117 total victories and moved into a tie for 10th with her 63rd career singles wins.
Then, Falceto would provide the heroics on court 6. After she and UT's Creath had split sets, the match went to what would be a nail-biting and match-deciding third. Down 5-4 on serve, Falceto fought off one match point against her to tie things at 5-5. After Falceto broke to lead 6-5, Creath fended off two match points of her own to force a deciding tiebreaker. There, the determined Bulldog would establish a 4-1 lead and go on to take the match 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(5) in exciting fashion with her teammates cheering her on. With the win, she remained unphased (5-0) in singles dual matches this season.
Next Up
The Bulldogs will remain at home to host No. 3 Georgia (6-1, 2-0 SEC) on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. UGA notched a 4-0 win at Ole Miss Friday in its latest outing.
For more information on Mississippi State women's tennis team, visit HailState.com and follow "HailStateWT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Mississippi State 4, #20 Tennessee 3
February 26, 2021
Starkville, Miss. – A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre
Doubles
1. Esther Adeshina/Daria Kuczer (UT) def. #41 Magda Adaloglou/Tamara Racine (MSU) 6-1
2. Emma Antonaki/Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) vs. Tenika McGiffin/Eleonora Molinaro 5-2, susp.
3. Carly Briggs/Callie Creath (UT) def. Chloé Cirotte/Lilian Poling (MSU) 6-3
Order of finish: 1,3
Singles
1. #69 Emma Antonaki (MSU) def. Eleonora Molinaro (UT) 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
2. Magda Adaloglou (MSU) def. #118 Carly Briggs (UT) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
3. #52 Rebeka Martena (UT) def. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) 6-2, 6-3
4. Tenika McGiffin (UT) def. Lilian Poling (MSU) 5-7, 5-7
5. Chloé Cirotte (MSU) def. Daria Kuczer (UT) 3-6, 6-0, 6-2
6. Marta Falceto (MSU) def. Callie Creath (UT) 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(5)
Order of finish: 3,1,5,4,2,6
State improved to 9-2 overall, 1-2 in SEC play with the victory, while Tennessee dropped to 6-4, 0-2 in the league. The Vols still lead the all-time series 36-11, but MSU has claimed seven of the last nine matches between the teams, including five straight in Starkville.
The match marked the second-consecutive thriller between the two programs, as the Bulldogs also claimed last season's match by a 4-3 decision in Starkville, rallying from a 3-1 deficit in that contest.
"I am extremely proud of our effort today," MSU head coach Daryl Greenan said. "It is always an incredible college match when it comes down to a tiebreaker in the last match with the overall score tied 3-3. Tennessee is a very good team but our girls were hungry for a win after a disappointing road trip last week. In the end, I thought we did a couple things better in this match than last weekend. I would have been proud of our team today win or lose."
Tennessee drew first blood Friday, opening the match with a pair of victories in doubles on courts 1 and 3 to earn the first point of the day. At the top spot in the lineup, Volunteers Esther Adeshina and Daria Kuczer handed MSU's 41st-ranked Magda Adaloglou and Tamara Racine their first loss this season, 6-1. Bulldogs Chloé Cirotte and Lilian Poling then fell to UT's Carly Briggs and Callie Creath 6-3 on court 3. State's tandem of Emma Antonaki and Alexandra Mikhailuk were ahead 5-2 against Vols Tenika McGiffin and Eleonora Molinaro at No. 2 when play was suspended.
Tennessee went up 2-0 with a victory on court 3, where 52nd-ranked Rebeka Mertena notched a 6-2, 6-3 decision over MSU's Mikhailuk, but four three-set wins by the Bulldogs in the last five matches would prove to be the difference makers.
The 69th-ranked Antonaki fell 6-2 to Molinaro quickly in the first set. Behind 5-3 in the second set, the Athens, Greece, product won four straight games to rally back and take the second set 7-5. In the third, Antonaki rolled past Molinaro 6-2 to bounce back into the win column and put the momentum back on the Bulldogs' side. Antonaki now owns a near perfect 10-1 record in singles dual matches this spring and has claimed 17 of her last 18 singles outings, dating back to last season.
The Bulldog true freshman Cirotte then evened the match at 2-2 as she downed UT's Kuczer in comeback fashion - 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 - on court 5 to improve to 8-1 in dual matches in her rookie season.
The Vols went back on top at 3-2 when McGiffin edged State's Poling 7-5, 7-5 on court 4. With State having to have the last two matches for the win, the Bulldogs' Adaloglou and Falceto went to work to get those victories on courts 2 and 6, respectively.
At No. 2, Adaloglou knotted the match at 3-3 by taking an inspired three-set marathon 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 over Tennessee's No. 118 Briggs for her first ranked victory of the season. Adaloglou has won seven consecutive singles affairs and 17 of her last 19 dating back to last season. She is also now tied for eighth all-time in MSU women's tennis history with 117 total victories and moved into a tie for 10th with her 63rd career singles wins.
Then, Falceto would provide the heroics on court 6. After she and UT's Creath had split sets, the match went to what would be a nail-biting and match-deciding third. Down 5-4 on serve, Falceto fought off one match point against her to tie things at 5-5. After Falceto broke to lead 6-5, Creath fended off two match points of her own to force a deciding tiebreaker. There, the determined Bulldog would establish a 4-1 lead and go on to take the match 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(5) in exciting fashion with her teammates cheering her on. With the win, she remained unphased (5-0) in singles dual matches this season.
Next Up
The Bulldogs will remain at home to host No. 3 Georgia (6-1, 2-0 SEC) on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. UGA notched a 4-0 win at Ole Miss Friday in its latest outing.
For more information on Mississippi State women's tennis team, visit HailState.com and follow "HailStateWT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Mississippi State 4, #20 Tennessee 3
February 26, 2021
Starkville, Miss. – A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre
Doubles
1. Esther Adeshina/Daria Kuczer (UT) def. #41 Magda Adaloglou/Tamara Racine (MSU) 6-1
2. Emma Antonaki/Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) vs. Tenika McGiffin/Eleonora Molinaro 5-2, susp.
3. Carly Briggs/Callie Creath (UT) def. Chloé Cirotte/Lilian Poling (MSU) 6-3
Order of finish: 1,3
Singles
1. #69 Emma Antonaki (MSU) def. Eleonora Molinaro (UT) 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
2. Magda Adaloglou (MSU) def. #118 Carly Briggs (UT) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
3. #52 Rebeka Martena (UT) def. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) 6-2, 6-3
4. Tenika McGiffin (UT) def. Lilian Poling (MSU) 5-7, 5-7
5. Chloé Cirotte (MSU) def. Daria Kuczer (UT) 3-6, 6-0, 6-2
6. Marta Falceto (MSU) def. Callie Creath (UT) 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(5)
Order of finish: 3,1,5,4,2,6
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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