Tuesday, April 20
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
12:00 PM
Mississippi State
0
vs
4
Tennessee
Photo by: Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics
No. 39 State Women’s Tennis Falls In SEC Championship To No. 15 Tennessee
April 20, 2021 | Women's Tennis
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The 39th-ranked and 13th-seeded Mississippi State women's tennis squad fell to 15th-ranked and fifth-seeded Tennessee Tuesday in the second round of the 2021 SEC Championship at the Alabama Tennis Stadium.
With the setback, the Bulldogs fell to 11-12 on the season while the Volunteers improved to 15-7. UT broke a two-match MSU win streak in the series with the victory.
Tennessee earned an early 1-0 lead after claiming the doubles point. On court 2, UT's 27th-ranked Esther Adeshina and Daria Kuczer downed State's Emma Antonaki and Alexandra Mikhailuk 6-3. The Volunteers' 65th-ranked Carly Briggs and Rebeka Mertena then edged Bulldogs Chloé Cirotte and Alexandra Mikhailuk in a close 6-4 decision on court 3.
State's 18th-ranked tandem of Magda Adaloglou and Tamara Racine were even with Vols Tenika McGiffin and Eleonora Molinaro 5-5 on court 1 when the point was clinched.
Tennessee claimed five first sets in singles, and the first three singles matches completed, to secure the victory but not without some fight from State down the stretch.
The Vols' McGiffin notched the first victory as she downed MSU's Mikhailuk 6-1, 6-1 on court 5. Then, State's Lilian Poling dropped a 6-1, 6-3 decision to Kuczer at the No. 4 spot. After holding off MSU's Racine in a very tight first set 7-5 on court 3, UT's 56th-ranked Briggs went on to clinch the match for the Volunteers there with a 7-5, 6-2 triumph.
All remaining matches were then suspended, with all three featuring extremely close battles.
At the top spot in the lineup, State's 27th-ranked Antonaki and Tennessee's 75th-ranked Mertena were in a tiebreaker in the second set after Mertena had claimed the first set 6-3 - Mertena leading 6-3, 6-6(3-0) when play was halted. MSU's Adaloglou had taken the first set 6-3 over the 83rd-ranked Volunteer Molinaro on court 2 and Molinaro had just responded to claim the second 6-4. And at the No. 6 position, the true freshman Bulldog Cirotte was showing her resiliency. After dropping the first set 6-0 against UT's Johanna Silva, she battled back to grab the second 6-3 and was ahead 2-0 in the third set when play was suspended.
Next up…
Mississippi State will learn its postseason destiny on May 3 when selections for the 2021 NCAA Team Championship are announced. The Bulldogs have qualified for NCAA action in four of the last five seasons the tournament has been held (there was no postseason competition in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
For more information on Mississippi State women's tennis team, visit HailState.com and follow "HailStateWT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
#15 Tennessee 4, #39 Mississippi State 0
2021 SEC Championship – Second Round
April 20, 2021
Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Alabama Tennis Stadium
Doubles
1. #18 Magda Adaloglou/Tamara Racine (MSU) vs. Tenika McGiffin/Eleonora Molinaro (UT) 5-5, susp.
2. #27 Esther Adeshina/Daria Kuczer (UT) def. Emma Antonaki/Marta Falceto (MSU) 6-3
3. #65 Carly Briggs/Rebeka Mertena (UT) def. Chloé Cirotte/Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) 6-4
Order of finish: 2,3
Singles
1. #75 Rebeka Mertena (UT) vs. #27 Emma Antonaki (MSU) 6-3, 6-6(3-0), susp.
2. Magda Adaloglou (MSU) vs. #83 Eleonora Molinaro (UT) 6-3, 4-6, susp.
3. #56 Carly Briggs (UT) def. Tamara Racine (MSU) 7-5, 6-2
4. Daria Kuczer (UT) def. Lilian Poling (MSU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Tenika McGiffin (UT) def. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Chloé Cirotte (MSU) vs. Johanna Silva (UT) 0-6, 6-3, 2-0, susp.
Order of finish: 5,4,3
With the setback, the Bulldogs fell to 11-12 on the season while the Volunteers improved to 15-7. UT broke a two-match MSU win streak in the series with the victory.
Tennessee earned an early 1-0 lead after claiming the doubles point. On court 2, UT's 27th-ranked Esther Adeshina and Daria Kuczer downed State's Emma Antonaki and Alexandra Mikhailuk 6-3. The Volunteers' 65th-ranked Carly Briggs and Rebeka Mertena then edged Bulldogs Chloé Cirotte and Alexandra Mikhailuk in a close 6-4 decision on court 3.
State's 18th-ranked tandem of Magda Adaloglou and Tamara Racine were even with Vols Tenika McGiffin and Eleonora Molinaro 5-5 on court 1 when the point was clinched.
Tennessee claimed five first sets in singles, and the first three singles matches completed, to secure the victory but not without some fight from State down the stretch.
The Vols' McGiffin notched the first victory as she downed MSU's Mikhailuk 6-1, 6-1 on court 5. Then, State's Lilian Poling dropped a 6-1, 6-3 decision to Kuczer at the No. 4 spot. After holding off MSU's Racine in a very tight first set 7-5 on court 3, UT's 56th-ranked Briggs went on to clinch the match for the Volunteers there with a 7-5, 6-2 triumph.
All remaining matches were then suspended, with all three featuring extremely close battles.
At the top spot in the lineup, State's 27th-ranked Antonaki and Tennessee's 75th-ranked Mertena were in a tiebreaker in the second set after Mertena had claimed the first set 6-3 - Mertena leading 6-3, 6-6(3-0) when play was halted. MSU's Adaloglou had taken the first set 6-3 over the 83rd-ranked Volunteer Molinaro on court 2 and Molinaro had just responded to claim the second 6-4. And at the No. 6 position, the true freshman Bulldog Cirotte was showing her resiliency. After dropping the first set 6-0 against UT's Johanna Silva, she battled back to grab the second 6-3 and was ahead 2-0 in the third set when play was suspended.
Next up…
Mississippi State will learn its postseason destiny on May 3 when selections for the 2021 NCAA Team Championship are announced. The Bulldogs have qualified for NCAA action in four of the last five seasons the tournament has been held (there was no postseason competition in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
For more information on Mississippi State women's tennis team, visit HailState.com and follow "HailStateWT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
#15 Tennessee 4, #39 Mississippi State 0
2021 SEC Championship – Second Round
April 20, 2021
Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Alabama Tennis Stadium
Doubles
1. #18 Magda Adaloglou/Tamara Racine (MSU) vs. Tenika McGiffin/Eleonora Molinaro (UT) 5-5, susp.
2. #27 Esther Adeshina/Daria Kuczer (UT) def. Emma Antonaki/Marta Falceto (MSU) 6-3
3. #65 Carly Briggs/Rebeka Mertena (UT) def. Chloé Cirotte/Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) 6-4
Order of finish: 2,3
Singles
1. #75 Rebeka Mertena (UT) vs. #27 Emma Antonaki (MSU) 6-3, 6-6(3-0), susp.
2. Magda Adaloglou (MSU) vs. #83 Eleonora Molinaro (UT) 6-3, 4-6, susp.
3. #56 Carly Briggs (UT) def. Tamara Racine (MSU) 7-5, 6-2
4. Daria Kuczer (UT) def. Lilian Poling (MSU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Tenika McGiffin (UT) def. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Chloé Cirotte (MSU) vs. Johanna Silva (UT) 0-6, 6-3, 2-0, susp.
Order of finish: 5,4,3
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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