Mississippi State
Auburn
No. 27 MSU Women?s Tennis Falls In Tight Match At No. 16 Auburn
March 25, 2016 | Women's Tennis
AUBURN, Ala. – Despite a strong start, the 27th-ranked Mississippi State women's tennis team (11-6, 2-5 Southeastern Conference) fell 5-2 to No. 16 Auburn (17-4, 5-2 SEC) in a closely-contested matchup on the Plains Thursday afternoon.
The Bulldogs started the day impressively by claiming the doubles point with convincing wins at the top two positions in the lineup. State's duo of Jasmine Lee and Louise Ronaldson made quick work of Auburn's tandem of Paula de Man and Caroline Turner 6-1 on court two. Moments after, at the No. 1 position, MSU's pair of Madison Harrison and Kristina Vozniak upended the Tiger duo of No. 24 Pleun Burgmans and Alizee Michaud 6-2 to clinch the doubles point and give MSU a 1-0 lead. The remaining doubles match was suspended at 5-3 in favor of Auburn on court three.
The Tigers responded in singles by taking four of the six first sets and rode that momentum to the victory, despite State pushing two of those contests to a third set.
State's highlight in singles came from its lone senior, 71st-ranked Georgiana Patrasc, as she posted a 6-2, 6-2 upset over AU's No. 31 Andie Dikosavljevic, marking the second highest ranked opponent she has defeated during her career. The win on court two extended MSU's lead to 2-0. But Auburn would claim the remaining five matches for the victory.
At the No. 4 position, AU's Alannah Griffin upended MSU's No. 100 Anastasia Rentouli 6-3, 6-4. Tiger de Man held off State's Vozniak in straight sets 6-3, 7-6(5) at No. 5 to tie the match 2-2.
The final three matches all went three sets and AU would pull out close 6-4 decisions in the third set in each contest. The Tigers got their first lead of the match as No. 46 Michaud upset MSU's No. 13 Lee 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 at the No. 1 position. The Tigers clinched the match as No. 77 Burgmans staved off a comeback effort from MSU's Harrison 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 on court three. In the final match of the day, Auburn's Turner edged MSU's Jennifer Brown 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 at the No. 6 spot.
The Bulldogs will travel to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 48 Alabama on Saturday, March 26, at 1 p.m. CT to complete their SEC action this week. The Tide boasts two ranked singles players in No. 41 Andie Daniell and No. 44 Erin Routliffe. On the doubles side, Daniell and Routliffe team up to comprise the country's 56th-ranked tandem.
Following the 'Bama match, State returns home for three straight SEC affairs, hosting No. 5 Vanderbilt (March 31), No. 23 Kentucky (April 2) and No. 39 rival Ole Miss (April 8).
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 Auburn 5, No. 27 Mississippi State 2
March 24, 2016 – Yarbrough Tennis Center – Auburn, Ala.
Doubles
Order of match finish…2,1
1. Madison Harrison/Kristina Vozniak (MSU) def. No. 24 Pleun Burgmans/Alizee Michaud (AU) 6-2
2. Jasmine Lee/Louise Ronaldson (MSU) def. Paula de Man/Caroline Turner (AU) 6-1
3. Andie Dikosavljevic/Alannah Griffen (AU) vs. No. 61 Georgiana Patrasc/Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) 5-3 (susp.)
Singles
Order of match finish…2,4,5,1,3,6
1. No. 46 Alizee Michaud (AU) def. No. 13 Jasmine Lee (MSU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
2. No. 71 Georgiana Patrasc (MSU) def. No. 31 Andie Dikosavljevic (AU) 6-2, 6-2
3. No. 77 Pleun Burgmans (AU) def. Madison Harrison (MSU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
4. Alannah Griffen (AU) def. No. 100 Anastasia Rentouli (MSU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Paula de Man (AU) def. Kristina Vozniak (MSU) 6-3, 7-6(5)
6. Caroline Turner (AU) def. Jennifer Brown (MSU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
