Mississippi State
Duke
No. 29 MSU Falls To No. 16 Duke In ITA Kickoff Weekend Final
January 24, 2016 | Women's Tennis
DURHAM, N.C. – In the final match of the ITA Kickoff Weekend, the 29th-ranked Mississippi State women's tennis team (3-1) fell to 16th-ranked Duke (3-0) 4-1 Saturday evening in a tough battle to determine who would advance to the ITA National Indoor Championships next month.
Duke claimed an early 1-0 lead after earning the doubles point. At the No. 3 position, MSU's 53rd-ranked sophomore duo of Jennifer Brown and Kristina Vozniak was set back by Duke's Chalena Scholl and Alyssa Smith 6-1. State's tandem of Madison Harrison and Georgiana Patrasc fell to Duke's 26th-ranked Beatrice Capra and Ellyse Hamlin 6-3 at the No.1 position. Court 2 was suspended at that point with MSU trailing 5-3.
Despite the early deficit and Duke taking four first sets in singles, State still gave the Blue Devils a strong challenge for the match down the stretch and was leading in the two matches that were suspended when Duke got the clinching point.
At the No. 6 singles position, MSU's Brown fell to Jessica Ho in straight sets 6-2, 6-1, extending Duke's lead 2-0.
After rallying to split sets at No. 2, the MSU newcomer Harrison was held off by Duke's 29th-ranked Kaitlyn McCarthy 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 in a tough three-set fight. At the No. 1 position, 28th-ranked Blue Devil Capra won the last three games of the match to upset State's 13th-ranked Jasmine Lee 6-4, 6-3 to clinch the team win for Duke.
State's lone point of the match came when the senior veteran Patrasc downed Duke's Samantha Harris 6-4, 7-5 on court 3 just moments after DU's clinching win at No. 1.
The two remaining contests were suspended at that point with Bulldogs holding leads in both. MSU's 36th-ranked Anastasia Rentouli led Duke's 70th-ranked Hamlin 6-4, 4-5 at No. 4 while State's Vozniak was just a game away from upsetting 79th-ranked Blue Devil Scholl at No. 5, leading 1-6, 7-5, 5-3 at the time play was suspended.
“We came very close to pulling off a big win against a highly talented team today,” head coach Daryl Greenan said. "I feel like the girls fought extremely hard and once again I am proud of their efforts. Overall it was a great tournament for us and I think it should give the girls confidence moving forward. They definitely proved to me that they have what it takes to develop and climb even higher in the rankings."
State women's tennis returns to action in two weeks in Minneapolis, Minnesota, taking on New Mexico on Saturday, Feb. 6, and either DePaul or Minnesota on Sunday, Feb. 7.
For more information on Mississippi State women's tennis and updates fans can follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at HailStateWT.
No. 16 Duke 4, No. 29 Mississippi State 1
ITA Kickoff Weekend
January 23, 2016 – Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center – Durham, N.C.
Doubles
1. #26 Beatrice Capra/Ellyse Hamlin (Duke) def. Madison Harrison/Georgiana Patrasc (MSU) 6-3
2. Jasmine Lee/Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) vs. Samantha Harris/Kaitlyn McCarthy (Duke) 3-5, susp.
3. Chalena Scholl /Alyssa Smith (Duke) def. #53 Jennifer Brown/Kristina Vozniak (MSU) 6-1
Singles
1. #28 Beatrice Capra (Duke) def. #13 Jasmine Lee (MSU) 6-4, 6-3
2. #29 Kaitlyn McCarthy (Duke) def. Madison Harrison (MSU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
3. Georgiana Patrasc (MSU) def. Samantha Harris (Duke) 6-4, 7-5
4. #36 Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) vs. #70 Ellyse Hamlin (Duke) 6-4, 4-5, susp.
5. Kristina Vozniak (MSU) vs. #79 Chalena Scholl (Duke) 1-6, 7-5, 5-3, susp.
6. Jessica Ho (Duke) def. Jennifer Brown (MSU) 6-2, 6-1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1), Singles (6,2,1,3)
