Lady Bulldog Tennis Blanks Eastern Illinois

Wednesday, March 12

Gulf Shores, Ala.

11:00 a.m.

Mississippi State

Eastern Illinois

State Women's Tennis Wins Again; Downs Nationally-Ranked South Alabama, 4-3

Lady Bulldog Tennis Blanks Eastern Illinois

March 12, 2008 | Women's Tennis

By: hailstate.com

GULF SHORES, Ala. ? The Mississippi State's women's tennis team defeated 74th-ranked Eastern Illinois Wednesday to claim its sixth victory of the 2008 season. The Lady Bulldogs are now 6-5 on the season. The Panthers of EIU fell to 6-2.

“We took care of business,” said head coach Tracy Lane. “We played doubles very aggressive and I am extremely pleased with that. It was nice to get the win and be able to use the entire team the way we did.”

MSU grabbed the doubles point early with 8-2 and 8-5 wins at the No. 3 and 2 positions, respectively. At No. 3, State's pairing of DeAndra Saddler and Valeriya Makarycheva downed EIU's tandem of Abby Allgire and Carrie Larson 8-2. On court #1, MSU's team of Radka Ferancova and Renee Joseph bested Eastern Illinois' Sandra Sasidharan and Cara Huck 8-5. Mississippi State also won at the No. 1 position with Lady Bulldogs Martina Banikova and Elna de Villiers defeating EIU's Natalie Martin and Hayley Homburg 8-4.

In singles, MSU took a 2-0 advantage when, on court No. 4, de Villiers promptly defeated Allgire 6-0, 6-2. State went up 3-0 when Tatiana Feit provided a 6-0, 6-1 win over Eastern Illinois' Huck at position No. 5.

The match-clincher would come at the No. 2 spot, where Mississippi State's Joseph bested EIU's Martin 6-4, 6-2. In the other singles matches, MSU's Ferancova posted a straight-set win over Homburg 6-2, 6-3 at the No. 3 position while State's Banikova also defeated Sasidharan in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 on court No.1. State finished off the sweep with freshman Elizabeth Hall claiming her first dual match win as a Lady Bulldog, downing Stephanie Harmazy in straight sets 6-0, 7-5 at the No. 6 spot.

State's next action will come in Mobile this Saturday, Mar. 15, at 11 a.m. CT when they will play the Sycamores of Indiana State in another neutral site contest.

MISSISSIPPI STATE 7, #74 EASTERN ILLINOIS 0
March 12, 2008 ? Gulf Shores, Ala.

DOUBLES ? Martina Banikova/Elna de Villiers (MSU) def. Natalie Martin/Hayley Homburg (EIU) 8-4; Radka Ferancova/Renee Joseph (MSU) def. Sandra Sasidharan/Cara Huck (EIU) 8-5; DeAndra Saddler/Valeriya Makarycheva (MSU) def. Abby Allgire/Carrie Larson (EIU) 8-2.
SINGLES ? Banikova (MSU) def. Sasidharan (EIU) 6-4, 6-2; Joseph (MSU) def. Martin (EIU) 6-4, 6-2; Ferancova (MSU) def. Homburg (EIU) 6-2, 6-3; de Villiers (MSU) def. Allgire (EIU) 6-0, 6-2; Tatiana Feit (MSU) def. Huck (EIU) 6-0, 6-1; Elizabeth Hall (MSU) def. Stephanie Harmazy (EIU) 6-0, 7-5.

(numbers preceding names are current national rankings)