Tuscon, Ariz. – The Michigan State women’s tennis team opened its 2024 campaign on the west coast where it faced Missouri and Arizona on Friday, Jan. 19.
The Spartans begin their season 1-0 while Missouri falls to 0-3.
“It was a gritty win to start the season,” said head coach Kim Bruno. “We came out fiery in doubles and carried that intensity into singles that ultimately won the match.”
The match began on the double’s courts, where the Spartans served the heat in the early going at Arizona by starting their day sweeping Missouri. The pairing of senior Ayshe Can and junior Liisa Vehvilainen started things off shutting out the Tigers pair of Inah Canete and Mae Canete by a 6-0 margin. MSU would secure the doubles point thanks to the pairing of grad Nicole Conrad and sophomore Issey Purser took down the team of Roma Cardenas Rifka and Gabriela Martinezin a commanding 6-1 fashion, taking the first point of the match.
Michigan State continued their momentum into the single competition where it took three of the four matches. On court one Matilde Morias picked up her first dual win as a Spartan winning a back-and-forth matchup against Inah Canete, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4. On court three, Can swept Martinez that was highlighted with a 6-0 shutout and a 6-3 victory. After falling 4-6 in the first set, Purser battled back to win two straight with scores of 6-2 and 6-1 to secure MSU’s victory.
The Green and White returned to action later in the evening for doubles play against Arizona but dropped two matches to give the Wildcats the doubles point.
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