No. 29 South Alabama Tops No. 75 State 4-3 In Women's Tennis
With the match knotted at three apiece, USA's Klara Jarova fought back after losing the first set 6-3 to MSU's Elna de Villiers at the No. 6 position to win the next two sets, 6-1, 6-1 for the match clinching point. With the win, the Lady Jaguars hold a 16-7 advantage over the Lady Bulldogs in tennis action.
USA got a jumpstart on the board with the doubles point, winning at the No. 2 and 3 slots. Jarova and Adrianna Solarova won 8-3 over MSU's tandem of Banikova and de Villiers. The Lady Jaguar pairing of Jelena Kriacevics and Dijana Stanic claimed the point with their win over Renee Joseph and Daniela Juskova 8-4.
The Maroon and White dented the scoreboard with senior Anastasia Kugakolova's straight set 6-4, 6-0 defeat of Kriacevics. After USA pushed its lead out to 3-1, the Lady Bulldogs gained the next two points to even the match. Freshman Martina Banikova battled in three sets to win 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. Daniela Juskova followed suit with a three-set battle after dropping the opening set 6-1, she went on to win 6-1, 7-5.
MState will turn its attention to Southeastern Conference competition that begins on Friday, March 3, on the home courts. State will open conference action against 24th-ranked South Carolina and second-ranked Florida on Sunday, March 5. Friday's meeting the USC Gamecocks is slated for a 3 p.m. start.
Doubles
1. Anastasia Kugakolova/Polina Kokoulina (MSU) def. Sylvanie Spanenberg (USA) 8-4
2. Klara Jarova/Maria Zivcicova (USA) def. Martina Banikova/Elna de Villiers (MSU) 8-3
3. Jelena Kriacevics/Dijana Stanic (USA) def. Renee Joseph/Daniela Juskova (MSU) 8-4
Singles
1. Anastasia Kugakolova (MSU) def. Jelena Kriacevics 6-4, 6-0
2. Adriann Solarova (USA) def. Renee Joseph (MSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Martina Banikova (MSU) def. Michaela Babicova (USA) 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
4. Daniela Juskova (MSU) def. Maria Zivcicova (USA) 6-1, 6-1, 7-5
5. Dijana Stanic (USA) def. Polina Kokoulina (MSU) 6-1, 6-2
6. Klara Jarova (USA) def. Elna de Villiers (MSU) 6-3, 6-1, 6-1