University of Missouri
No. 29 LSU
@MizzouTennis Goes Toe-to-Toe with No. 29 LSU, Falls 4-3
3/12/2017 2:08:00 PM | Tennis
Freshman Mackenzy Middlebrooks improves to 7-1 in singles play this spring
COLUMBIA, MO. – Mizzou (10-4, 1-2 SEC) battled hard against No. 29 LSU (9-4, 2-2 SEC) but ultimately fell, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at the Mizzou Tennis Complex. Mizzou got a pair of singles wins against ranked opponents from the senior co-captains, and another victory from freshman Mackenzy Middlebrooks (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) but couldn't complete the comeback, falling for just the second time in the last eight matches.
"We're doing better," head coach Colt Gaston said. "We're putting ourselves in spots in which we can beat the best teams in the country. It's not always going to happen every time. I think this experience is going to help us. I told the girls that I was very proud of their effort, that we continue to put ourselves into that situation. We're going to figure out the doubles point, and keep building every single week. That's the goal, take the positives. Amina (Ismail) left it all out there with the match tied 3-3 and that's all you can ask for as a coach."
After dropping the doubles point, Mizzou found itself down 1-0, heading into singles play, when the senior co-captains set the tone. Senior Bea Machado Santos (Lisbon, Portugal) took the No. 2 match 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 over No. 116 Joana Valle Costa. That gives Santos six consecutive singles victories and three straight wins over ranked opponents. She is now 7-4 in singles matches this spring and a perfect 3-0 in Southeastern Conference play.
After LSU took a 3-1 lead, senior Cassidy Spearman (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) earned career win No. 101, taking down No. 83 Ryann Foster, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2. This was Spearman's first victory over a ranked opponent this season. She improved her home singles record to 3-0 this year with yet another comeback victory.
Still trailing by one, Middlebrooks came through with a 6-3, 6-4 victory, her seventh singles win of the year. She improves to 7-1 and 3-0 in conference play at No. 6. The win tied the dual score, 3-3. However, after a tremendous fight, Mizzou fell to No. 29 LSU, 4-3.
Mizzou will look for a bounce-back match as the team heads back out on the road. Mizzou is set to face No. 33 Mississippi State at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 17, and No. 23 Ole Miss the following Sunday, March 19, at noon.
For all the latest on Mizzou Tennis, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook (MizzouTennis), Twitter (@MizzouTennis), and Instagram (@Mizzou_Tennis).
Match-by-Match Results:
Doubles:
No. 1 Bea Machado Santos/ Amina Ismail (MIZ) vs. No. 42 Joana Valle Costa/Ryann Foster (LSU), 5-unfinished.
No. 2 Jade Lewis/Becca Weissmann (LSU) def. Brianna Lashway/Clare Raley (MIZ), 6-2
No. 3 Jessica Golovin/ Skylar Holloway (LSU) def. Cassidy Spearman/Tate Schroeder (MIZ), 6-4
Singles:
No. 1 No. 39 Jade Lewis (LSU) def. Brianna Lashway (MIZ), 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 Bea Machado Santos (MIZ) def. No. 116 Joana Valle Costa (LSU), 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
No. 3 Cassidy Spearman (MIZ) def. No. 83 Ryann Foster (LSU), 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 Jessica Golovin (LSU) def. Tate Schroeder (MIZ), 6-1, 6-3
No. 5 Becca Weissmann (LSU) def. Amina Ismail (MIZ), 6-7 (6), 6-1, 7-5
No. 6 Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) def. Skylar Holloway (LSU), 6-3, 6-4
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Players Mentioned
