The Mississippi State women’s tennis team had nothing go its way this weekend, losing both home matches 7-0. On Friday No. 29 Kentucky came to play at the A.J. Pitts tennis center. The Lady Wildcats (11-6, 4-1) jumped on the board early, winning all three closely-played doubles matches.
Renee Joseph and Daniela Juskova fell first to Danielle Petrisko and Carolina Winebrenner 8-5 at the No. 3 spot.
At the No. 1 spot, No. 43 Kim Coventry and Carolina Escamilla defeated Anastasia Kugakolova and Polina Kokoulina 8-6 to clinch the doubles point.
This marked the seventh time the Lady Dawgs lost the doubles point and the second in as many matches.
Energized, the Lady Wildcats won all six singles matches.
“It’s a huge advantage winning the doubles point,” Lady Dawgs head coach Tracy Lane said. “It puts more pressure on you losing the doubles point because you have to win four singles matches.”
Sunday would turn out not to be any brighter for the Dawgs, losing to the No. 12 Lady Commodores of Vanderbilt.
The Lady Commodores (15-2, 6-0) came out and won all the doubles matches to get the first point. Kugakolova and Kokoulina fell to Amanda Fish and Amanda Taylor 8-4.
Then Juskova and Joseph lost to Liberty Sveke and Courtney Ulrey 8-2 to clinch the doubles point for Vanderbilt. Banikova and de Villiers lost to Taka Bertrand and Carolina Ferrell 8-5.
Sunday’s match was an exact replay of Friday’s. Vanderbilt, with three nationally-ranked singles players, ran away with all the matches except for the No. 3 spot.
Joseph lost an extreme nail biter 6-3, 6-7(5), 11-13. She now falls to 3-10 on the season. Kugakolova failed to get a win this weekend and remains in seventh place on the MSU career singles victories list with 63.
The Lady Dogs (3-10, 1-5), on a three-match losing streak, prepare to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks Friday.
Men’s
The men’s tennis team also came up short this weekend, losing both matches 4-3. They were unable to hold off the No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats on Friday, letting a 3-1 lead slip away. Kentucky (11-3, 4-0) took the doubles point.
In singles play, the Bulldogs pounced on the Wildcats early. Ivan Bjelica beat No. 54 Bruno Agostinelli 6-4, 6-4 at the No. 2 spot. Then senior Jose-Carlo Pinto knocked off No. 87 Nate Emge 6-4, 6-3.
Pierre Mouillon upset No. 46 Alex Hume at the No. 1 spot 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 to give State the 3-1 advantage.
The Wildcats kept their composure and won the last three matches to run away with the victory.
Carey Rubin defeated Frayssinoix 7-5, 6-7, 6-1 at the No. 4 spot. At the No. 5 spot, Sundh tied the match for the Wildcats with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Girod.
Kentucky outlasted the Dawgs with Johnstone defeating Farlow 6-4, 6-4. Kentucky now leads the all-time series 20-16, winning four of the last five.
The Bulldogs saw another close match slip away Sunday. Visiting Vanderbilt, the match again came down to the final match.
The Commodores (5-8, 1-5) won the opening doubles point, winning all three matches. Ryan Preston and Nathan Sachs beat Girod and Mouillon 8-2. Nik Cromydas and Jordan Magarik defeated Farlow and Frayssinoux 8-5 to clinch the point for the Wildcats.
In singles play the deciding point came down to the No. 3 spot. Andy Mack came away with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over Pinto. The Bulldogs (4-8, 1-5) come home to entertain Arkansas on Friday.