No. 41 State Women?s Tennis Hosts No. 31 Auburn Friday
Match time is set for 4 p.m. CT at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. Due to the threat of rain on Friday afternoon, fans should consult HailStateWT (on Twitter) and HailState.com for updates on the match’s status. The match will honor all current and former military members as part of Military Appreciation Day, and fans will also receive MSU drinking glasses and the chance to win Mississippi State baseball tickets.
The Bulldogs (11-3/2-2 SEC) enter this weekend ranked 41st nationally, the team’s highest ranking in over nine years (since Jan. 31, 2006), when the Bulldogs were ranked at No. 33.
After dropping her SEC opener against Vanderbilt, sophomore transfer Jasmine Lee has been solid, winning three straight conference matches. Lee enters the weekend at 9-1 overall and 3-1 in the SEC, with all of her wins coming at the No. 2 slot. Sophomore Martina Frantova is also on a winning streak of her own, sitting at 2-2 in the SEC and 9-3 overall, with seven of those wins coming at the No. 3 position.
Another Bulldog that continues to perform well is freshman Jennifer Brown at the No. 5 position. Brown is 10-2 in dual match play so far and 2-1 in the SEC after earning the team-clincher against Arkansas on Sunday. Although both of her matches last weekend were suspended, sophomore Timea Guibe continues to dominate at the No. 6 slot, sitting at 9-0 in dual match play and 2-0 in the SEC. Guibe is the only remaining Bulldog that holds an undefeated record in singles.
Rounding out the singles lineup is junior Georgiana Patrasc at the top position and freshman Louise Ronaldson at No. 4. They are 9-4 and 7-5, respectively, in dual matches this spring.
Doubles play continues to be a driving force for State, as the Bulldogs have taken the doubles point 11 times in 12 contests where doubles have been contested this season. The Bulldogs are 23-6 in dual match play this season and 6-2 in the SEC. Frantova and senior Naomi Tran anchor the No. 1 slot for the Bulldogs at 7-4 in dual match play, while the duo of Lee and Patrasc are 5-1 on the season and 2-1 in SEC action.
Auburn enters the weekend at 11-4 overall and 1-3 in the SEC. The 31st-ranked Tigers earned their first SEC win of the season on Sunday, defeating Tennessee 4-0. The Tigers are led by the sixth-ranked doubles tandem of Pleun Burgmans and Emily Flickinger, who own a 52-16 career record and are 2-1 in the SEC at the No. 1 slot. Burgmans also leads the Tigers at the No. 1 singles position and is ranked at No. 73 nationally. She is 7-4 in dual matches this season.
Following Friday’s match, State will entertain No. 6 Alabama in Starkville on Sunday, March 15, at 1 p.m.
For more information on Mississippi State women's tennis and updates, fans can follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at HailStateWT.