MOBILE, Ala. ? The No. 56 University of South Alabama women’s tennis team was edged out by the 75th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs 4-3 Sunday afternoon at the Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts.
The 56th-ranked Lady Jags went down early, losing the doubles point to the Bulldogs. Sylvanie Spangenberg and Michaela Babicova defeated Olesya Tsigvints and Natalia Mayuk, 8-5, at the No. 1 position, but the South Alabama duos of Alina Volman/Parija Maloo and Katie Welch/Erica Krisan lost to their MSU counterparts.
The Lady Jags came back when Babicova secured the first point of singles play in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1, over Mayuk in the No. 2 spot.
The match was tied 2-2 after USA’s Katie Welch defeated Natalie Mayuk at No. 5, but Mississippi State took the next two matches for the win. The Bulldogs’ Martina Banikova defeated Parija Maloo at No. 1 to clinch.
Next the Lady Jags host Southeastern Louisiana Feb. 19 at 1 p.m.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251)461-1USA(1872).
Tennis Match Results
Mississippi State vs University of South Alabama
Feb 15, 2009 at Mobile, Ala.
#75 Mississippi State 4, #56 University of South Alabama 3
Singles competition
1. Martina Banikova (MSU) def. Parija Maloo (USAW) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. Michaela Babicova (USAW) def. Olesya Tsigvints (MSU) 6-3, 6-1
3. Radka Ferancova (MSU) def. Sylvanie Spangenberg (USAW) 7-6, 6-3
4. Erica Krisan (USAW) def. Elna de Villiers (MSU) 7-6, 6-3
5. Katie Welch (USAW) def. Natalia Mayuk (MSU) 7-5, 6-0
6. Valeriya Makarycheva (MSU) def. Alina Volman (USAW) 4-1
Doubles competition
1. Michaela Babicova/Sylvanie Spangenberg (USAW) def. Olesya Tsigvints/Natalia Mayuk (MSU) 8-5
2. Elna de Villiers/Martina Banikova (MSU) def. Parija Maloo/Alina Volman (USAW) 8-3
3. Daniela Juskova/Radka Ferancova (MSU) def. Erica Krisan/Katie Welch (USAW) 8-5
Match Notes:
Mississippi State 6-0; National ranking #75
University of South Alabama 3-3; National ranking #56
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (2,6,5,3,1,4)
--USA--
