Lady Bulldogs Host #73 Auburn And #26 Alabama This Weekend
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The 54th-ranked Mississippi State women's tennis team returns home to start a five-match home stand after two consecutive SEC road matches. MSU (6-2, 0-2) takes on the 73rd-ranked Auburn Tigers (6-4, 0-2) on Friday, March 11, in a match slated to begin at 3 p.m. at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. On Sunday, March 13, State hosts 26th-ranked Alabama (5-5, 1-1) at 1 p.m. also at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
"This weekend is a really big weekend for us," said head coach Tracy Lane. "We have extremely strong rivalries with Auburn and Alabama. If we play aggressively, focus and play with a lot of heart and desire, we will put ourselves in positions to win matches over the course of the weekend. Everyone has to work together to achieve team wins."
Auburn leads the overall series between the two teams, 19-12, and Alabama is ahead of the Lady Bulldogs, 26-10.
Sophomore Zsuzsanna Fodor has a singles record of 26-6 so far this season, leaving her tied for fourth on the MSU all-time list for singles wins in a season. She is tied with Sue Thomson's 1985-86 season. The current record holder is Andrea Lord with her 31 wins during the 1999-2000 season.
Fodor and junior Anastasia Kugakolova have broken into the record books for doubles victories. Fodor is tied for eighth place for doubles wins in a season with 20, and Kugakolova has 19, tying her for ninth place. Fodor and Kugakolova as a team are also tied for ninth on the list for team doubles wins in a season with 14.