STARKVILLE – Mississippi State women’s tennis earned a doubleheader sweep of Memphis and Jackson State on Sunday.
The Bulldogs (8-1) began the day by dropping the doubles point to Memphis (1-6) only to battle back to earn the win with four singles victories for a 4-1 win over the Tigers at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. MSU then shutout its second opponent, Jackson State, 7-0 for a twin bill sweep inside the Rula Tennis Pavilion.
Chloé Cirotte and Emily Surcey were the only Bulldog doubles tandem to pick up a win against Memphis (1-6), defeating the Tiger duo of Carlota Carreter and Miriam Grosmann, 6-4. Emmanouela Antonaki and Gia Cohen came close to claiming the crucial doubles point for State but fell 7-6(2) to Aran Teixido Garcia and Emily Meyer.
Surcey went straight to work in singles, evening the score with his 6-1, 6-1 victory over Grosmann.
No. 61 Maria Rizzolo gave State the lead with a 6-4, 7-6(4) win against Dolavee Tumthong and was followed by Cohen with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Camila Soares.
Cirotte was able to clinch the first match of the day with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 win over Meyer.
“Overall, I think we handled it really well and we keep preaching to them that if they keep fighting no matter the score good things are going to happen,” associate head coach Sachin Kirtane said. “Proud of the team and proud of the effort today.”
The Bulldogs took on Jackson State (0-4) later in the afternoon.
Antonaki and Cohen made short work of Paula Arcarons and Daniela Ramos with a 6-1 win, while Cirotte and Surcey clinched the doubles point with their victory over Robin Alston and Tyra-Nicole Whyte of the Tigers, 6-2.
Antonaki claimed a singles win with a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Alston. It was also the 92nd career singles win of Antonaki’s career pushing her past Georgiana Patrasc (2013-16) for 1st all-time in Mississippi State history.
Cohen claimed her fourth singles win of the year with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Arcarons. Dharani Niroshan followed up with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Zeina Shaaban to clinch the win for State.
Alexandra Mikhailuk defeated Whyte 6-3, 6-3 to extend the Bulldogs lead. Minutes later, Cirotte followed with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Ramos.
Surcey closed out the match with a 6-1, 7-6(5) victory over Isabela Benavides.
“I’m proud of the girls for the way they stayed composed,” Kirtane said. “I feel like we’re…
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