State Knocks Off No. 61 Texas Tech 4-2 In Women's Tennis Activity
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State's lady netters knocked off 61st-ranked Texas Tech 4-2 on Saturday in the McCarthy Gymnasium. The match was moved indoors to the two-court facility due to the frigid temperatures and rain that moved through the Starkville area during the day. State improves to 2-4 on the season after topping UAB this past Thursday as well.
State claimed the match-clinching point with sophomore Polina Kokoulina's 6-4, 7-5 win over Texas Tech's Samantha van der Drift at the No. 5 slot. The Lady Bulldogs earned the crucial third point when freshman Daniela Juskova rebound from a 6-3 loss in the opening set to TTU's Katja Kovacic. Juskova took the match with a 6-4, 6-0 decisions in the second and third matches.
"We played phenomenal in doubles today," said MSU head coach Tracy Lane. "The girls battled hard today and came out with a win. Polina (Kokoulina) played one of her best matches since she has been here."
Senior Anastasia Kugakolova notched a straight-set victory over 75th-ranked Tara Browning of Tech, 6-2, 6-3 to give the Maroon and White the early 2-0 advantage.
In doubles, MState was victorious at the top-two positions to gain the match's first point. MSU's tandem of Kugakolova and Kokoulina dispatched of Tech's pairing of Browning and Lakann Wagley 8-3. The freshmen duo of Martina Banikova and Elna de Villiers knocked off the 23rd-ranked team of Erin Hunter and Kovacic 8-4.
The Lady Bulldogs return to action on Friday, Feb. 24, hosting 29th-ranked South Alabama. Match time is set for 3 p.m. at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
Mississippi State 4, #61 Texas Tech 2
Doubles
1. Anastasia Kugakolova/Polina Kokoulina def. Tara Browning/Lakann Wagley (TTU) 8-3
2. Martina Banikova/Elna de Villiers (MSU) def. No. 23 Erin Hunter/Katja Kovacic (TTU) 8-4
3. Renee Joseph/Daniela Juskova (MSU) - Janet Durham/Cigdem Duru (TTU) Did Not Start
Singles
1. Anastasia Kugakolova (MSU) def. No. 75 Tara Browning (TTU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Cigdem Duru (TTU) def. Renee Joseph (MSU) 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-3
3. Janet Durham (TTU) def. Martina Banikova (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Daniela Juskova (MSU) def. Katja Kovacic (TTU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
5. Polina Kokoulina (MSU) def. Samantha van der Drift 6-4, 7-5
6. Tatiana Feit (MSU) ?€“ Lakann Wagley (TTU) Did Not Start