State Women Fall To No. 31 Alabama, 6-1
Alabama won the doubles point with victories at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions. The 55th-ranked duo of Millie Begovic and Robin Stephenson defeated MSU's Elaine Fagan and Yumi Ueda, 8-1. On court three, Marcelle Hirt and Justyna Switala fell 8-5 to Ashley Bentley and Stefanie Leung. State's doubles victory came on court two when Anastasia Kugakolova and Magdi Rekasi defeated Marie Lord-Andrade and Nathalie Koppelle in a 9-7 decision.
Lady Bulldog Switala scored the only point for her team in a hard fought battle with Melissa Minor at the No. 6 position, 1-6, 7-6(4), 10-8. Rekasi fell 6-4, 6-3, to the Tide's 97th-ranked Begovic on court one. Kugakolova dropped her match to Sophie Cremers at No.2, 6-0, 6-1.
At the No. 3 position, Hirt was defeated by Stephenson in a 6-4, 6-4, decision. State's Ueda faced Lord-Andrade on court four and fell 6-2, 6-3. Fagan, at the fifth position, lost to Koppelle, 6-3, 6-4.
Next, Mississippi State will host the Auburn Tigers this Sunday, March 16, at A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre in a match set to start at 1 p.m.
All MSU home tennis matches can be followed live on the web by visiting State's official athletic website at www.mstateathletics.com.
#31 Alabama 6, Mississippi State 1
DOUBLES
1. #55 Millie Begovic/Robin Stephenson (UA) def. Elaine Fagan/Yumi Ueda (MSU) 8-1
2. Anastasia Kugakolova/Magdi Rekasi (MSU) def. Marie Lord-Andrade/Nathalie Koppelle (UA) 9-7
3. Ashley Bentley/Stefanie Leung (UA) def. Marcelle Hirt/Justyna Switala (MSU) 8-5
SINGLES
1. #97 Millie Begovic (UA) def. Magdi Rekasi (MSU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Sophie Cremers (UA) def. Anastasia Kugakolova (MSU) 6-0, 6-1
3. Robin Stephenson (UA) def. Marcelle Hirt (MSU) 6-4, 6-4
4. Marie Lord-Andrade (UA) def. Yumi Ueda (MSU) 6-2, 6-3
5. Nathalie Koppelle (UA) def. Elaine Fagan (MSU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Justyna Switala (MSU) def. Melissa Minor (UA) 1-6, 7-6(4), 10-8