Mississippi State
Memphis
Undefeated Dawgs Sweep Doubleheader
February 07, 2025 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State swept its fourth-consecutive doubleheader on Friday to start its season off 8-0 for the first time since 2020-21.
The Bulldogs began the afternoon with a 4-2 victory over Memphis before shutting out Alcorn State 7-0 inside the Rula Tennis Pavilion.
Records: Mississippi State 8-0 / Memphis 1-6 / Alcorn State 3-6
Quotable:
"I'm really proud of the group. We've got to keep building on a foundation before we get to where we want to get to. We want to be a top program. Today I saw that our team has made a step in the right direction over the last year and a half. We've got a team full of fighters. Our emotional intelligence and resiliency on court is getting better. We were banged up this week and had challenges. We may have had 2 ½ healthy bodies and our training staff came through for us today. I'm also really proud of my assistant coaches today. I thought Noah Tippen and Taylor Russo were world class in closing out that match against Memphis. The program is definitely taking a step in the right direction." - MSU head coach Chris Hooshyar.
"I think everyone has grown so much and everyone is a fighter. That helped me pull out my match today against Memphis. Just being in the position to clinch today, I had so much fire and was not going to lose. I wanted to win so badly for my team. I'm really proud of everyone." - MSU sophomore Jayna Clemens
Match Notes:
- Mississippi State has now won 18 of the last 19 matches against Memphis.
- The Bulldogs are off to their best start since beginning the 2020-21 season 8-0.
- MSU has now won 81 of its last 83 non-conference matches at home since Feb. 27, 2013.
- The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 40-5 during their undefeated start to the season.
- Mississippi State has now won 497 matches since the program started in 1975.
- Alessia Tagliente is riding a career-best eight-match winning streak in singles.
- Ava Rath has now won back-to-back singles matches and clinched her first-career match against Alcorn State.
- The Bulldogs are now 17-1 in non-conference home matches under Chris Hooshyar.
- MSU improved to 10-0 all-time vs. Alcorn State and has blanked the Lady Braves eight times during the series.
- Jayna Clemens (7-0), Gianna Oboniye (5-0), Alessia Tagliente (5-0), Carolina Troiano (4-0) and Ava Rath (2-0) remain unbeaten in singles during dual match play.
Next Up: MSU hosts South Alabama and Mississippi Valley State on Feb. 21 at 3 p.m. at 6 p.m. respectively before beginning Southeastern Conference play.
Mississippi State 4, Memphis 2
Rula Tennis Pavilion | Starkville, Miss.
Feb. 7, 2025
Doubles:
1. Gianna Oboniye/Athina Pitta (MSU) def. Emily Meyer/Alyssa Richter (MEM) 6-3
2. Alice Amendola/Clemence Thouard (MEM) def. Maria Rizzolo/Alessia Tagliente (MSU) 6-3
3. Jayna Clemens/Chiara Di Genova (MSU) def. Leonie Moeller/Sofia Mykhailets (MEM) 6-4
Order of finish: (2,3,1)
Singles:
1. Gianna Oboniye (MSU) def. Leonie Moeller (MEM) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. Maria Rizzolo (MSU) vs. Sofia Mykhailets (MEM) 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 3-3 unfinished
3. Alessia Tagliente (MSU) def. Alyssa Richter 6-2, 6-3
4. Emily Meyer (MEM) def. Athina Pitta (MSU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Alice Amendola (MEM) def. Chiara Di Genova (MSU) 6-3, 7-5
6. Jayna Clemens (MSU) def. Clemence Thouard (MEM) 6-1, 5-7, 6-2
Order of finish: (3,4,5,1,6)
Mississippi State 4, Alcorn State 2
Rula Tennis Pavilion | Starkville, Miss.
Feb. 7, 2025
Doubles:
1. Gianna Oboniye/Athina Pitta (MSU) def. Nikita Liyanage/Natalija Nikolic (ASU) 6-0
2. Maria Rizzolo/Alessia Tagliente (MSU) def. Doaa Mohamed/Aanya Rao (ASU) 6-0
3. Jayna Clemens/Chiara Di Genova (MSU) def. Oihane Villanueva Lopez/Ozi-Oiza Josephine Yakubu (ASU) 6-0
Order of finish: (1,2,3)
Singles:
1. Maria Rizzolo (MSU) def. Doaa Mohamed (ASU) 6-0, 6-3
2. Alessia Tagliente (MSU) vs. Natalija Nikolic (ASU) 6-3, 6-0
3. Athina Pitta (MSU) def. Ozi-Oiza Josephine Yakubu (ASU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Chiara Di Genova (MSU) def. Oihane Villanueva Lopez (ASU) 6-1, 6-0
5. Jayna Clemens (MSU) def. Nikita Liyanage (ASU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Ava Rath (MSU) def. Aanya Rao (ASU) 6-0, 6-2
Order of finish: (5,3,6,1,2,4)
For more Information on the Bulldog women's tennis program, visit Hailstate.com or search for "HailstateWT" on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3,1
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
3,4,5,1,6
Players Mentioned
