Mississippi State
Louisiana
State Stays Hot At Home
February 16, 2024 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State continued its hot start at home with a 5-2 victory over Louisiana on Friday.
The win kept the 7-1 Bulldogs unbeaten at home this season with all seven victories coming from the friendly confines of the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre or the Rula Tennis Pavilion. MSU has now won 71 of its last 72 non-conference home matches dating back to Feb. 27, 2013, including an active streak of 11 straight.
"I've never had this feeling before of having so many people here cheering me on, especially being so far away from my home," said freshman Athina Pitta. "It feels really nice to have people that support you and are here for you. We love our fans."
The Bulldogs claimed their 23rd consecutive victory against Louisiana (2-3) and improved to 23-1 overall in the series.
State started the afternoon on a solid note by sweeping the doubles point. Chloé Cirotte and Jayna Clemens began by blanking Nina Krecklenberg and Jenaila Prulla 6-0 followed by Dharani Niroshan and Alessia Tagliente clinching against Paige Duncan and Kamea Medora 6-2.
It was the sixth-straight victory for Niroshan and Tagliente with the pair now having won 10 of their last 11 matches together.
Niroshan carried the momentum over to singles where she made short work of Medora 6-2, 6-2. Clemens was close behind with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Angelique Berrat to extend the Bulldogs' lead to 3-0.
The Ragin' Cajuns collected their first win when Cristina Tchanichev topped Cirotte 6-4, 6-2. But Mississippi State was able to clinch the match as Athina Pitta pushed past Prulla 6-2, 7-6(4) for her second match-winner of the season.
"It felt really good," Pitta said. "I'd been struggling the past two weeks in singles so it was good that I could play my game and get the win for the Dawgs."
Tagliente tacked on a 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 victory over Duncan before Louisiana won the final match of the day as Carla Urchoeguia outlasted Alexandra Mikhailuk 6-3, 6-7(5), 1-0[4].
And although the outcome came out in the Bulldogs' favor, there was plenty first-year head coach Chris Hooshyar wants to see his team continue to improve upon as the season progresses.
"I was disappointed in today," Hooshyar said. "We'd talked before the season about creating habits and expectations we have of ourselves. Part of our battle when we go out there is being present and fighting what's in front of us and not what's inside of us on the court. Today, on too many courts, we fought ourselves for a long period of time versus our opponents.
"I'm proud that we got to turn it around and didn't continue to do that. But that's a big step for these girls to learn to create the habits and expectations to fight the person on the other side of the net and not focus on what we're not doing right and living in our own feelings. We have to learn from today, move on to Sunday and win the controllables."
The Bulldogs are back in action on Sunday with a doubleheader against Baylor at 11 a.m. and Bellarmine at 3 p.m.
Mississippi State 5, Louisiana 2A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre | Starkville, Miss.
Feb. 16, 2024
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Doubles
1. Alexandra Mikhailuk/Athina Pitta (MSU) vs. Angelique Berrat/Carla Urchoeguia (UL) 4-4, unfinished
2. Dharani Niroshan/Alessia Tagliente (MSU) def. Paige Duncan/Kamea Medora (UL) 6-2
3. Chloé Cirotte/Jayna Clemens (MSU) def. Nina Krecklenberg/Jenaila Prulla (UL) 6-0
Order of finish: (3,2)
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Singles
1. Carla Urchoeguia (UL) def. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) 6-3, 6-7(5), 1-0[4]
2. Cristina Tchanichev (UL) def. Chloé Cirotte (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
3. Dharani Niroshan (MSU) def. Kamea Medora (UL) 6-2, 6-2
4. Athina Pitta (MS) def. Jenaila Prulla (UL) 6-2, 7-6(4)
5. Jayna Clemens (MSU) def. Angelique Berrat (UL) 6-1, 7-5
6. Alessia Tagliente (MSU) def. Paige Duncan (UL) 6-4, 5-7, 6-1
Order of finish: (3,5,2,4,6,1)
For more information on the Bulldog women's tennis program, visit HailState.com or search for "HailStateWT" on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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Players Mentioned
