26th-Ranked Lady Bulldogs Fall To Pepperdine 4-1 In NCAA First Round
The Lady Bulldogs got off to a hot start, winning the doubles point and taking the early 1-0 advantage over the Waves. At the third position in doubles, Tarryn Rudman and Polina Kokoulina knocked off Pepperdine's combo of Merve Asimgil and Vanessa Dunlap 8-5 to give State the early edge. MSU's 14th-ranked tandem of Zsuzsanna Fodor and Anastasia Kugakolova clinched the point for the Lady Bulldogs, downing Waves Sylvia Kosakowski and Caroline Raba 8-2 at the first position. At the time the doubles point was awarded to the Lady Bulldogs, Magdi Rekasi and Hayley Rudman had a 7-3 advantage at No. 2 in their match with Pepperdine's Eva Dickes and Bianca Dulgheru.
In singles, Pepperdine quickly evened the score at one point apiece when Asimgil defeated Rekasi 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5. The Waves took a 2-1 lead in the match when the 29th-ranked Dulgheru bested State's 120th-ranked Kugakolova 6-3, 6-3 at the second position. Pepperdine extended its lead to 3-1 following the match at No. 1. MSU's 19th-ranked Fodor claimed the first set 6-1, but Pepperdine's 74th-ranked Raba took the last two sets 6-3, 6-2 to garner the point. The Waves claimed victory and advanced to the second round when State's Renée Joseph was ousted by Pepperdine's Dickes at No. 4. As was the case in Fodor's match at No. 1, Joseph took the first set 6-2, but could not hold the lead, ultimately falling 6-3, 7-5 in the final two sets.
With the win, Pepperdine moves on the face the winner of Georgia Tech and Winthrop for the right to advance to the round of 16 to be played at the Dan Magill Complex in Athens, Ga.
Up next for the Lady Bulldogs will be a trip to the NCAA Individual Championships for Fodor and Kugakolova in Athena, Ga., May 23-28 on the University of Georgia campus. Fodor will compete in the singles field of 64, while Kugakolova will partake in the doubles field of 64 along side Fodor.
#40 Pepperdine 4, #26 Mississippi State 1
Doubles
1. #14 Fodor/Kugakolova (MSU) def. Kosakowski/Raba (PU) 8-5
2. Rekasi/H. Rudman (MSU) vs. Dickes/Dulgheru (PU) 7-3, susp.
3. T. Rudman/Kokoulina (MSU) def. Asimgil/Dunlap (PU) 8-2
Singles
1. #74 Caroline Raba (PU) def. #19 Zsuzsanna Fodor (MSU) 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. #29 Bianca Dulgheru (PU) def. #120 Anastasia Kugakolova (MSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Tarryn Rudman (MSU) vs. Sylvia Kosakowski (PU) 6-7, 7-6, 2-1 (susp.)
4. Eva Dickes (PU) def. Renée Joseph (MSU) 2-6, 6-3, 7-5)
5. Merve Asimgil (PU) def. Magdi Rekasi (MSU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Polina Kokoulina (MSU) vs. Lise Sissler (PU) 3-6, 6-4, 5-5 (susp.)