MSU Collects Nine Wins During ITA Southern Regionals
October 13, 2024 | Women's Tennis
AUBURN, Ala. – Mississippi State earned nine wins during the ITA Southern Regional Championships before wrapping play on Sunday.
Maria Rizzolo picked up the Bulldogs' sixth and final singles win on Sunday by downing Auburn's Ava Esposito Cogan in straight sets on her home court 6-3, 6-2.
Rizzolo accounted for two of State's singles victories at the tournament as did Athina Pitta Newcomers Chiara Di Genova and Gianna Oboniye also earned their first singles wins as Bulldogs on Friday.
Last fall, Pitta and Alexandra Mikhailuk made history by becoming the first MSU doubles duo to win the ITA Southern Regional Championships and represented the Bulldogs at the ITA National Fall Championships in San Diego, California.
Di Genova and Rizzolo made a bid to become the next Mississippi State tandem to accomplish that feat by winning their first two matches together on The Plains to reach the quarterfinals. However, their run came to an end on Sunday as they fell to 84th-ranked Ludmila Kareisova and Anaelle Leclerq-Ficher of Ole Miss, 8-1.
In addition to Di Genova and Rizzolo's two doubles wins, Obinoye and fellow freshman Emma Cohen also earned a victory together in the opening round of the main draw on Friday.
Chris Hooshyar's Bulldogs have four International Tennis Federation Tournaments on their schedule before returning to collegiate play in the Roberta Alison Fall Classic in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Nov. 1-3.
ITA Southern RegionalYarbrough Tennis Center | Auburn, Ala.
Oct. 13, 2024
Â
Doubles Main Draw
Quaterfinals:
No. 84 Ludmila Kareisova/Anaella Leclercq-Ficher (Ole Miss) def. Chiara Di Genova/Maria Rizzolo (MSU) 8-1
Â
SinglesÂ
Pick-Up Matches:
Maria Rizzolo (MSU) def. Ava Esposito Cogan (Auburn) 6-3, 6-2
Klara Kajabova (UAB) def. Chiara Di Genova (MSU) 7-6(3), 6-3
Gresi Bajri (UAB) def. Jayna Clemens (MSU) 6-1, 6-3
Â
For more Information on the Bulldog women's tennis program, visit Hailstate.com or search for "HailstateWT" on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Â
Players Mentioned
