GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mississippi State’s women’s tennis team picked up a doubles win and two singles victories on the opening day of the Debbie Southern Fall Classic on Friday.
To open the morning the Bulldog tandem of Dharani Niroshan and Ava Rath defeated Furman’s duo of Alexa Griffith and Marissa Pennings 8-6. The win marks freshman Rath’s first collegiate victory.
Niroshan and Rath were paired against Tennessee’s tandem of Alana Wolfberg and Leyla Britez Risso in the second round of Flight 5. Wolfberg and Britez Risso took the match from the Bulldog duo 8-0.
In Flight 4, Alexandra Mikhailuk and Athina Pitta fell in a tight decision to Furman’s duo Macy Hitchcock and Ellie Schulson 8-6. Mikhailuk and Pitta moved on to the second round but dropped another tightly contested 8-6 decision to Alabama’s tandem of Priya Nelson and Anna Parkhomenko.
MSU’s pair of Jayna Clemens and Maria Rizzolo fell to their opponents in both rounds 8-4. In the first round Clemens and Rizzolo took on Gracie Epps and Alexandra Vecic of Georgia, while in the second round State’s tandem faced Madeline Atway and Teah Chavez of Ohio State.
In singles, Rath earned here second win of the day with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory over Tatum Buffington of Georgia.
Clemens gave State its third win of the day by taking down Margaux Maquet 6-4, 6-4. The win marks freshman Clemens first colligate singles victory.
Seven of the 13 teams competing in this weekend’s tournament ended last season ranked among the top 25 in the ITA collegiate rankings: Georgia (2), N.C. State (4), Ohio State (10), Duke (11), Tennessee (14), Auburn (17) and Georgia Tech (20).
The tournament continues Saturday starting with doubles followed by a round of singles. The event concludes on Sunday with one round of singles play.
For more information on the Bulldog women’s tennis program, visit HailState.com or search for “HailStateWT” on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
MSU Women’s Tennis Results at the 2023 Debbie Southern Fall Classic – Day 1
September 15, 2022 – Greenville, S.C.
DOUBLES
Flight 3
First Round – Gracie Epps/Alexandra Vecic (Georgia) def. Jayna Clemens/Maria Rizzolo (MSU) 8-4
Second Round – Madeline Atway/Teah Chavez (Ohio State) def. Jayna Clemens/Maria Rizzolo (MSU) 8-4
Flight 4
First Round – Macy Hitchcock/Ellie Schulson (Furman) def. Alexandra Mikhailuk/
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