RESULTS

STARKVILLE, Miss. – The University of South Alabama women's tennis team's eight-match win streak ended Sunday as Mississippi State, ranked No. 24 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, won 4-0 over USA at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Center. 

The Jaguars dropped to 8-2 on the season, while the Bulldogs improved to 4-1.

"This was a tough loss after giving ourselves a puncher's chance towards the end," said USA head coach Jaco Keyser.

In doubles, No. 8 Jasmine Lee and Lisa Marie Rioux defeated sophomore Patricia Martins (Lisbon, Portugal) and senior Laura Valkova (Piestany, Slovakia) 6-2 on court No. 1. Madison Harrison and Khrystyna Vozniak clinched the doubles point for MSU with a 6-4 win over senior Laura Matuskova (Bratislava, Slovakia) and sophomore Alina Zolotareva (Barnaul, Russia) at No. 2.

"Credit to Mississippi State for jumping on us and applying scoreboard pressure," Keyser said. "Good job by the girls for fighting back and making a match out of it. We definitely got better today."

To begin singles, No. 47 Lee won 6-1, 6-1 over sophomore Alexandria Stiteler (Bradenton, Fla.) on court No. 1. Rioux bested Valkova 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3, and Harrison defeated senior Monica Mitta (Fairhope, Ala.) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 on court No. 2 to secure the victory for Mississippi State. 

"It's always tough taking the positives out off a loss but we are definitely progressing as a team," said Keyser.

The Jaguars return to action Friday at 5 p.m. to play Wichita State on the road.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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