Mississippi State
UAB
MSU Improves To 5-0 By Taking Twin Bill
February 03, 2024 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's Chris Hooshyar made history on Saturday by becoming the first head coach in program history to begin their tenure 4-0.
And it would not take long before Hooshyar and the women's tennis team became 5-0 following a doubleheader sweep of UAB and Jackson State. The Bulldogs were able to edge UAB 4-3 early in the afternoon and later downed Jackson State 6-1 under the lights at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
"Today was all about character," Hooshyar said. "We're talking about building this program and where we want to get to. We want to be competing for trophies and titles but that's not going to happen overnight. It's going to take time and it all starts with the foundations we create. This year is about creating the habits, character on court in how we represent ourselves and Mississippi State and I think they did that. The tennis wasn't there all the way through, but character is finding a way to continue to fight and driving to succeed."
MSU began the day by securing the ever-important doubles point. Alexandra Mikhailuk and Maria Rizzolo earned the first victory of the day over Vanessa Mellynchuk and Mackenzie White 6-3 while Dharani Niroshan and Alessia Tagliente clinched the point with their 6-3 win against Klara Kajabova and Enya Ratkic.
Singles was a nail-biter for the Bulldogs and came down to the third set of the final court. Jayna Clemens extended Mississippi State's advantage to 2-0 following her straight-set victory over Ratkic 6-4, 6-2. The Blazers (0-5) fought back, however, and were able to even the score by claiming the next two matches.
Mikhailuk rallied back to beat Sydney Clarke 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 to give the Bulldogs back a brief 3-2 lead. But UAB battled back to knot things up again by winning a third-set tiebreaker leaving it up Court 2 to decide the match.
Chloé Cirotte dropped her opening set to Kajabova 4-6 while also sustaining a foot injury. The senior from France continued to fight and persevered through a second set tiebreaker 7-6(4) and eventually prevailed with a 6-3 win in the third set to seal the victory for MSU.
"Obviously I was stressed a little bit, but I've been working on myself and my routine." Cirotte said. "After every point, I'd hear (the fans) screaming for me and pushing me. But I'm still looking at what I have to do and didn't get too excited until I'd win a point. I just reset after every point and focused on what I had to do."
The evening match against the now 2-1 Tigers was much less stressful for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs began by taking the doubles point again as Clemens and Rizzolo won 6-4 over Isabela Benavides and Zofia Dziewiecka while Niroshan and Tagliente clinched by the same score against Chiara Desia and Tyra-Nicole Whyte.
JSU's Robin Alston was forced to retire in the second set with Mikhailuk leading 6-3, 1-0. Clemens made short work of Desia 6-3, 6-1 to give MSU a 3-0 lead before Niroshan clinched the match with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Dziewiecka.
Athina Pitta continued on to conquer Zeina Shaaban 6-3, 1-6, 1-0[8] and Rizzolo ended the evening by rallying past Whyte 4-6, 7-6(5), 1-0[5].
The Bulldogs will have very little time to celebrate Saturday's twin bill victories with Belmont waiting in the wings. The 3-1 Bruins will visit the Rula Tennis Pavilion on Sunday at 1 p.m. following their 5-2 loss at Ole Miss on Saturday.
Mississippi State 4, UAB 3A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre | Starkville, Miss.
Feb. 3, 2024
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Doubles
1. Alexandra Mikhailuk/Maria Rizzolo (MSU) def. Vanessa Mellynchuk/Mackenzie White (UAB) 6-3
2. Sydney Clarke/Adela Wasserbauerova (UAB) def. Chloé Cirotte/Athina Pitta (MSU) 6-4
3. Dharani Niroshan/Alessia Tagliente (MSU) def. Klara Kajabova/Enya Ratkic (UAB) 6-3
Order of finish: (1,3,2)
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Singles
1. Adela Wasserbauerova (UAB) def. Maria Rizzolo (MSU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
2. Chloé Cirotte (MSU) def. Klara Kajabova (UAB) 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-3
3. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) def. Sydney Clarke (UAB) 5-7, 7-5, 6-2
4. Mackenzie White (UAB) def. Athina Pitta (MSU) 6-2, 7-6(3)
5. Jayna Clemens (MSU) def. Enya Ratkic (UAB) 6-4, 6-2
6. Annalisa Smith (UAB) def. Alessia Tagliente (MSU) 6-1, 6-7(5), 7-6(2)
Order of finish: (5,4,1,3,6,2)
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Mississippi State 6, Jackson State 1
A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre | Starkville, Miss.
Feb. 3, 2024
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Doubles
1. Alexandra Mikhailuk/Athina Pitta (MSU) vs. Robin Alston/Zeina Shaaban JSU) 5-3, unfinished
2. Dharani Niroshan/Alessia Tagliente (MSU) def. Chiara Desia/Tyra-Nicole White (JSU) 6-4
3. Jayna Clemens/Maria Rizzolo (MSU) def. Isabela Benavides/Zofia Dziewiecka (JSU) 6-4
Order of finish: (3,2)
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Singles
1. Maria Rizzolo (MSU) def. Tyra-Nicole White (JSU) 4-6, 7-6(5), 1-0[5]
2. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) def. Robin Alston (JSU) 6-3, 1-0, retired
3. Athina Pitta (MSU) def. Zeina Shaaban (JSU) 6-3, 1-6, 1-0[8]
4. Dharani Niroshan (MSU) def. Zofia Dziewiecka (JSU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Jayna Clemens (MSU) def. Chiara Desia (JSU) 6-3, 6-1
6. Isabela Benavides (JSU) def. Ava Rath (MSU) 6-0, 6-0
Order of finish: (2,5,4,6,3,1)
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
