Mississippi State
Vanderbilt
No. 55 MSU Hits The Road For Two
February 27, 2025 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE - No. 55 Mississippi State is hitting the road this weekend for two matches. The Bulldogs will take on 19th-ranked Vanderbilt (8-1, 1-0 SEC) at the Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Tennis Center at 2 p.m. on Friday. State then travels to Columbia, Mo., to face Missouri (9-2, 0-1 SEC) at Green Tennis Center or Country Club of Missouri at 12 p.m.
Rankings: Singles – Vanderbilt – Bridget Stammel (41), Celia-Belle Mohr (46), Valeria Ray (94) Doubles – Vanderbilt – Celia-Belle Mohr/Sophia Webster (12)
Series history: Vanderbilt leads the series against Mississippi State 41-8 overall and 16-4 in Nashville.
The Bulldogs hold a 10-4 mark against Missouri and the series is split 3-3 in Columbia.
Last Meeting: Mississippi State fell to Vanderbilt 6-1 in Nashville, but Maria Rizzolo picked up a ranked win defeating No. 60 Bridget Stammel 6-3, 7-6(6) last season.
State closed out the 2024 regular season defeating Missouri 4-1 in Starkville. Alessia Tagliente and Maria Rizzolo teamed up to defeat Missouri's Andrea Artimedi/Emelie Schwarte 7-6(5) to secure the doubles point. Jayna Clemens later clinched the match for the Bulldogs taking down Artimedi of Missouri 0-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Last time out: MSU fell to Alabama 4-0 in Tuscaloosa on Sunday. Vanderbilt blanked Missouri 7-0 in Columbia.
MSU wins leaders: Overall singles wins – Jayna Clemens (12), Alessia Tagliente (12) Singles wins vs. ranked opponents – N/A Match clinches – Clemens (3) Carolina Troiano (3) Overall doubles wins – Gianna Oboniye/Athina Pitta (7) Doubles wins vs. ranked opponents – Chiara Di Genova/Tagliente (1) Doubles clinches – Oboniye/Pitta (4)
Notes to know:
• This year marks the 51st season of women's tennis at Mississippi State after playing its inaugural season in 1975. The Bulldogs have won 498 matches all-time.
• Mississippi State's 55th ranking is the highest mark since being ranked 54th on March 27, 2022.
• State's 9-0 start was the best start in program history and are one of five SEC teams with nine or more wins.
• The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 44-9 during dual-match play.
• Women's tennis posted a 3.58 grade point average as a team during the fall semester. It was the second-highest GPA of any women's team at MSU during the fall.
• Clemens currently leads the team with a career-long eight-match winning streak in singles.
• Oboniye and Pitta are 6-1 in doubles dual match play and have clinched three of State's doubles points this season.
• Troiano has clinched three of the Bulldogs' victories this season and is a perfect 4-0 in singles this spring.
• Clemens (8-0), Troiano (4-0) and Rath (2-0) remain unbeaten in singles during dual match play.
• The Bulldogs signed five-star prospect Mia Robinson out of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Robinson is the top-ranked recruit in the state of South Carolina and the No. 14 prospect in the country. She is set to join the team in the fall.
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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