Lady Bulldog Netters Notch First SEC Win Over Auburn, 6-1
Freshman Tatiana Feit's 7-5, 6-1 win over Erin Gray of Auburn at the No. 6 slot sealed the win for the Maroon and White, who improve to 3-7 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
The Lady Bulldogs jumped on the board with the doubles points winning at court No. 1 and No. 3 by identical 8-5 scores. State's No. 1 duo of Anastasia Kugakolova and Polina Kokoulina topped AU's Whitney Chappell and Tori Almagno, while sophomore Renee Joseph and freshman Daniela Juskova took the match on court three from Leigh Tippins and Irina Pljusnyin of AU.
MSU senior Anastasia Kugakolova discarded Lady Tiger Alex Haney in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, while Juskova, Kokoulina each picked up winning decisions in singles competition. Juskova breezed thru AU's Dzeljan Memisi 6-2, 6-3. Kokoulina opened her match versus Tori Almagno winning a 7-6 tiebreaker and closing out the match with a 6-3 decision.
Auburn's lone point came at the No. 2 position with Whitney Chappell dropping MSU's Martina Banikova 6-1, 6-1.
State will now trek to Tuscaloosa , Ala. to face 39th-ranked Alabama on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Doubles
1. Anastasia Kugakolova/Polina Kokoulina (MSU) def. Whitney Chappell/Tori Almagno (AU) 8-5
2. Alex Haney/Ashley Cowart (AU) def. Martina Banikova/Elna de Villiers (MSU) 8-5
3. Renee Joseph/Daniela Juskova (MSU) def. Leigh Tippins/Irina Pljusznyin 8-5
Singles
1. Anastasia Kugakolova (MSU) def. Alex Haney (AU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Whitney Chappell (AU) def. Martina Banikova (MSU) 6-1, 6-1
3. Renee Joseph (MSU) def. Ashley Cowart (AU) 4-6, 6-2, 1-0
4. Polina Kokoulina (MSU) def. Tori Almagno (AU) 7-6, 6-3
5. Daniela Juskova (MSU) def. Dzeljan Memisi 6-2, 6-3
6. Tatiana Feit (MSU) def. Erin Gray (AU) 7-5, 6-1