STARKVILLE – The second SEC home test for the No. 64 Mississippi State women’s tennis season resulted in a loss.

 

The Bulldogs dropped a 4-1 decision to LSU on Sunday and fell to 8-7 on the season and 0-4 in SEC play. The Tigers improve to 2-7 on the season and 1-3 in SEC play.

 

“This is a tough league,” said head coach Daryl Greenan. “Starting 0-4 puts us in a bit of a hole but we have nine more opportunities ahead of us in the regular season. At this point it is a mental game. We always talk about playing one point at a time one match at a time. We really need to adhere to that mentality. We will not be defined as a team until the last point of the season.”

 

The bright spot for the Bulldogs came as freshman Alessia Tagliente got MSU on the board. Tagliente took her first set 6-0 and was awarded the match as Rania Azziz was forced the retire before the second set started.

 

LSU’s Safiya Carrington took the first set 6-3 while Emmanouela Antonaki fought back in the second set 6-2, but ultimately Carrington won the match in the third set 6-0.

 

Magda Adaloglou and Chloè Cirotte also feel to their LSU opponents. Adaloglou took the first set 7-5, but dropped the second set to Nina Geissler 6-0 and Cirotte also took the first set against Maggie Cubitt 6-2, but Cubitt prevailed back in sets two and three 6-2, 6-2.

 

The Tigers also took the doubles point to start the match. The MSU tandem of Antonaki and Marta Falceto lost 6-3 to Ena Babic and Cubitt while Adaloglou and Tagliente fell 6-3 to Geissler and Mia Rabinowitz.

 

Mississippi State will host 9^th-ranked Auburn Friday at 4 p.m. followed by a doubleheader on Sunday against 19^th-ranked Alabama at 12 p.m. and Alcorn State at 4 p.m.

 

For more information on the Bulldog women’s tennis program, visit HailState.com or search for “HailStateWT” on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

 

LSU 4, Mississippi State 1  

Starkville, Miss. | A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre   

Mar. 13, 2022  

 

Doubles  

1. Chloé Cirotte/Tamara Racine (MSU) vs. Taylor Bridges/Safiya Carrington (LSU) 4-5, unfinished
2. Ena Babic/Maggie Cubitt (LSU) def. EmmanouelaAntonaki/Marta Falceto (MSU) 6-3
3. Nina Geissler/Mia Rabinowitz (LSU) def. Magda Adaloglou/Alessia Tagliente (MSU) 6-3

Order of finish: (2,3)

 

Singles  

1. Safiya Carrington (LSU) def. #94 Emmanouela Antonaki (MSU) 6-3, 1-6, 6-0
2. Nina Geissler (LSU) def.Magda Adaloglou (MSU) 7-5, 6-0
3. #116 Tamara Racine (MSU) vs.#89 Ena Babic (LSU) 5-7, 6-4, 1-2, unfinished
4. Maggie Cubitt (LSU) def. Chloé Cirotte (MSU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
5. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) vs. Taylor Bridges (LSU) 6-2, 4-6, 3-1, unfinished
6. Alessia Tagliente (MSU) def. Mia Rabinowitz (LSU) 6-0, retired

Order of finish: (6,2,1,4)