Lady Bulldog Netters Down 26th-Ranked Alabama, 6-1
State won the doubles point with a sweep for the second match in a row.Polina Kokoulina and Magdi Rekasi downed Andrea Brenes and Maria Muller,8-3, at No. 3. At the second spot, Hayley Rudman and Tarryn Rudman securedthe doubles point for MSU with their win over Ashley Bentley and MelissaMinor, 8-3. State's 38th-ranked Zsuzsanna Fodor and Anastasia Kugakolova wontheir match at the top spot when Natalie McElveen and Robin Stephensondefaulted with the score 6-5, in favor of the Lady Bulldogs.
In singles action, lone senior Rekasi won the first singles match of the dayfor MSU, downing Brenes, 7-5, 6-0, at the fifth position. Next, Kokoulinafell, 6-2, 6-3, to Minor at No. 3, making the team score 2-1 for MSU. Oncourt one, 27th-ranked Fodor defeated seventh-ranked Stephenson, 7-5, 6-2,the highest ranked player she has defeated in her collegiate career.
Tarryn Rudman shutout Muller, 6-0, in the first set, but Muller came backand took the second set, 6-3. Rudman came from behind to tie the third setup 6-6 and won the match in a 7-4 tiebreaker, clinching the win for State.Kugakolova's and Renee Joseph's matches were defaulted by Alabama following Rudman'swin. At No. 2, Kugakolova took her match over tied for 73rd-ranked Bentley,6-4, 5-7, 1-1 (def.), and Joseph downed McElveen, 6-4, 3-6, 1-1 (def.), atthe sixth spot.
Next, the squad takes off a week before hosting third-ranked Georgia onFriday, March 25, at 3.p.m. at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
#54 Mississippi State 6, #26 Alabama 1
Doubles
1. #38 Fodor/Kugakolova (MSU) def. McElveen/Stephenson (UA), 6-5 (def.)
2. Rudman/Rudman (MSU) def. Bentley/Minor (UA), 8-3
3. Kokoulina/Rekasi (MSU) def. Brenes/Muller (UA), 8-3
Singles
1. #27 Zsuzsanna Fodor (MSU) def. #7 Robin Stephenson (UA), 7-5, 6-2
2. Anastasia Kugakolova (MSU) def. #t73 Ashley Bentley (UA), 6-4, 5-7,1-1(def.)
3. Melissa Minor (UA) def. Polina Kokoulina (MSU), 6-2, 6-3
4. Tarryn Rudman (MSU) def. Maria Muller (UA), 6-0, 3-6, 7-6(4)
5. Magdi Rekasi (MSU) def. Andrea Brenes (UA), 7-5, 6-0
6. Renée Joseph (MSU) def. Natalie McElveen (UA), 6-4, 3-6, 1-1(def.)