Saturday, January 18
Starkville
10 a.m.
Mississippi State
vs
Bellarmine
Photo by: Hallie Walker/Mississippi State Athletics
State Opens Dual Match Season With Doubleheader
January 17, 2025 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State is set to begin its 2025 dual match season with a doubleheader inside the Rula Tennis Pavilion on Saturday.
The Bulldogs open things up against Bellarmine at 10 a.m. followed by Samford at 4 p.m. Between MSU's matchups, Bellarmine and Samford are also set to square off in a neutral site match at 1 p.m.
MSU is looking to extend its 13-year winning streak in season openers which dates back to 2012 and is 37-13 all-time in matches to start off a campaign. State has won 73 of its last 75 non-conference matches at home dating back to Feb. 27, 2013.
Head coach Chris Hooshyar found his share of non-conference success in his first season last year, posting a 10-3 record which included a 9-1 mark at home with wins over both Bellarmine and Samford.
Mississippi State and Bellarmine are meeting for the second time with State winning last season's contest 4-1. Returning players Athina Pitta and Jayna Clemens contributed singles wins in that match with Pitta also earning a doubles triumph as well during that outing.
MSU is a perfect 10-0 against Samford with six of those victories coming in Starkville. State secured a 5-2 win against the visiting Bulldogs last season with Pitta, Maria Rizzolo, and Alessia Tagliente providing singles victories. Rizzolo and Tagliente also helped State snag the doubles point.
Mississippi State returns five members of last season's squad that went 11-16 and welcomes freshmen Emma Cohen, Gianna Oboniye and Carolina Troiano to the fold as well as Florida State transfer Chiara Di Genova.
"One thing that our fans love more than anything is fight," Hooshyar said. "Different teams have different styles of play, but they all have fight. So, that's what we're talking with our girls. We have to be the toughest team to beat."
Bellarmine is making its 2025 debut following a 9-17 record last season. Samford is also playing in its first dual matches on Saturday after posting a 10-12 overall record last spring.
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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The Bulldogs open things up against Bellarmine at 10 a.m. followed by Samford at 4 p.m. Between MSU's matchups, Bellarmine and Samford are also set to square off in a neutral site match at 1 p.m.
MSU is looking to extend its 13-year winning streak in season openers which dates back to 2012 and is 37-13 all-time in matches to start off a campaign. State has won 73 of its last 75 non-conference matches at home dating back to Feb. 27, 2013.
Head coach Chris Hooshyar found his share of non-conference success in his first season last year, posting a 10-3 record which included a 9-1 mark at home with wins over both Bellarmine and Samford.
Mississippi State and Bellarmine are meeting for the second time with State winning last season's contest 4-1. Returning players Athina Pitta and Jayna Clemens contributed singles wins in that match with Pitta also earning a doubles triumph as well during that outing.
MSU is a perfect 10-0 against Samford with six of those victories coming in Starkville. State secured a 5-2 win against the visiting Bulldogs last season with Pitta, Maria Rizzolo, and Alessia Tagliente providing singles victories. Rizzolo and Tagliente also helped State snag the doubles point.
Mississippi State returns five members of last season's squad that went 11-16 and welcomes freshmen Emma Cohen, Gianna Oboniye and Carolina Troiano to the fold as well as Florida State transfer Chiara Di Genova.
"One thing that our fans love more than anything is fight," Hooshyar said. "Different teams have different styles of play, but they all have fight. So, that's what we're talking with our girls. We have to be the toughest team to beat."
Bellarmine is making its 2025 debut following a 9-17 record last season. Samford is also playing in its first dual matches on Saturday after posting a 10-12 overall record last spring.
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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