Bulldogs Drop Road Match At No. 18 South Carolina

Sunday, March 31

Columbia, S.C.

10 a.m.

Mississippi State

South Carolina

STARKVILLE, MS - February 03, 2024 - A tennis ball during the match between the UAB Blazers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at the AJ Pitts Tennis Centre in Starkville, MS. Photo By Will Porada

Photo by: Will Porada/MSU Athletics

Bulldogs Drop Road Match At No. 18 South Carolina

March 31, 2024 | Women's Tennis

By: Logan Lowery, Assistant Director/Communications

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Mississippi State lost 7-0 at No. 18 South Carolina on Sunday.

The Gamecocks (14-5, 6-4 SEC) were the ninth consecutive ranked opponent MSU has faced to start Southeastern Conference play.

Athina Pitta was the lone Bulldog to win a set on Sunday. Pitta claimed the opening set 6-1 against Elise Mills but dropped the second 6-2 and lost in a third-set super tiebreaker 1-0[5].

The loss dropped MSU to 10-12 on the year and 0-9 in SEC action. Chris Hooshyar's Bulldogs continue their four-game road trek next weekend beginning at No. 4 Georgia on Friday at 4 p.m. CT.

No. 18 South Carolina 7, Mississippi State 0
Carolina Tennis Center | Columbia, S.C.
March 21, 2024

Doubles
1. No. 30 Ayana Akli/Sarah Hamner (SC) vs. Athina Pitta/Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) 5-3, unfinished
2. Shahar Biran/Elise Mills (SC) def. Dharani Niroshan/Maria Rizzolo (MSU) 6-4
3. Olympe Lancelot/Misa Malkin (SC) def. Chloé Cirotte/Alessia Tagliente (MSU) 6-0
Order of finish: (3,2)

Singles
1. No. 7 Ayana Akli (SC) def. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) 6-1, 6-2
2. No. 9 Sarah Hamner (SC) def. Maria Rizzolo (MSU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Shahar Biran (SC) def. Chloé Cirotte (MSU) 6-2, 6-3
4. Elise Mills (SC) def. Athina Pitta (MSU) 1-6, 6-2, 1-0[5]
5. Misa Malkin (SC) def. Jayna Clemens (MSU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Olympe Lancelot (SC) def. Dharani Niroshan (MSU) 6-4, 7-5
Order of finish: (2,5,1,3,4,6)

For more information on the Bulldog women's tennis program, visit HailState.com or search for "HailStateWT" on X, Instagram and Facebook.