Coach Tracy Lane and the Mississippi State women’s tennis team will welcome a six-day break between matches after two hard fought battles last week.
The Lady Bulldogs suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 loss in a nine-hour match to No. 18 South Alabama on Thursday. Two days later, State dropped another 4-3 decision, this time at the hands of Middle Tennessee.
On Thursday, MSU started well with victories at the No. 1 and No. 2 singles positions. Senior Marcelle Hirt, playing the No. 1 spot, overcame losing the first set to defeat Marlieke Jager 1-6, 6-1, 7-5. At No. 2, sophomore Anastasia Kugakolova defeated Andrea Kurekova 6-3, 7-5. Freshman Tarryn Rudman, playing in her first match for State, won the only other singles point for the Lady Bulldogs.
“I was very nervous with it being my first match and having to get used to the format and all,” Rudman said. “Still, I was able to play well.”
The lengthy match included four 3-set matches and three tiebreakers. USA’s Marlieke Jager and Catherine Perkins defeated MSU’s team of Hirt and junior Magdi Rekasi 9-8 (3) to take the doubles point and win the match.
With just one day of rest, the Lady Bulldogs faced the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee on Saturday. The Blue Raiders jumped out to an early lead taking the doubles point with wins at the No. 1 and No. 2 positions. MTSU’s team of Manon Kruse and Carien Venter, ranked 31st nationally, defeated State’s Hirt and Rekasi 8-4.
In singles, MSU and Middle Tennessee split the first four decisions. Freshman Tarryn Rudman, playing the No. 4 spot, cruised to her second straight victory, defeating Laura McNamara 6-1, 6-0. Ana Maria Cibils clinched the win for Middle Tennessee, defeating MSU senior Justyn Switala 6-3, 6-2. In the last match of the day, State’s Yumi Ueda defeated Emily Vest 6-1, 7-5.
“Fatigue was definitely a factor,” Rudman added. “Our bodies were very drained after playing for nine hours on Saturday.”
MSU leads the all-time series with Middle Tennessee 7-4, but the Blue Raiders have claimed the last three meetings. The two losses drop the Lady Bulldogs’ record to 2-2. State continues its seven-match homestand hosting Troy State on Friday and UAB on Sunday.