University of Missouri
SEMO
@MizzouTennis Cruises to Pair of Wins in First Matches of Spring
1/20/2018 1:21:00 PM | Tennis
Tigers defeat SEMO, 5-0; turn back UCA, 6-1
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Mizzou Tennis team began its Spring season on a stellar note, winning 14 of 16 completed matches en route to a pair of convincing wins over SEMO and Central Arkansas on Saturday at the Mizzou Tennis Complex. Nine of those wins involved newcomers, with senior Amina Ismail (Maineville, Ohio), sophomore Mackenzy Middlebrooks (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and freshman Ellie Wright (Gainesville, Fla.) each going 4-0 on the day.
The doubleheader started with a 5-0 victory over SEMO, and began with the Tigers (2-0) taking two of the three doubles matches to win the doubles point. SEMO took the first match on Court 2, before the Tigers dominated on Courts 1 and 3 to win at nearly the same time to clinch. Ismail and freshman Taylor Gruber (Spicewood, Texas), making her Tiger debut, rolled to a 6-2 win, while Middlebrooks and Wright teamed up for a 6-1 win.
Mizzou was equally dominant in the singles matches. Wright cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 win on Court 2, and the Tigers quickly clinched the match moments later, with wins on Courts 3 and 4 within seconds of each other. Ismail posted a 6-2, 6-1 win, while Middlebrooks earned a 6-1, 6-2 victory.
Senior Clare Raley (Atlanta, Ga.) and Gruber each won the first sets of their singles matches before the coaches agreed to end the dual.
The Tigers performed even better in the afternoon doubles session, sweeping all three matches to earn the doubles point en route to a 6-1 win over Central Arkansas. Mizzou then carried that momentum through the singles session, winning five out of the six singles contests, including the clincher from Middlebrooks, 6-3, 6-1, and a hard-fought three-set win for Wright (6-1, 2-6, 6-2).
"We definitely looked a little nervous today in the first match, but the girls did a great job adjusting and raising their level of play in the afternoon," said Head Coach Colt Gaston. "I was very proud of their overall effort and fight today."
UP NEXT
The Tigers hit the road for a trio of duals next weekend in Ithaca, N.Y. The Tigers open Friday with a 4:30 p.m. dual at Cornell, then play a pair of neutral-site matches next Sunday, Jan. 28, vs. Army and Binghamton. For all the latest on Mizzou Tennis, stay tuned to mutigers.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS
MIZZOU 5, SEMO 0
DOUBLES (order of finish: 2, 1, 3)
Amina Ismail/Taylor Gruber (MIZ) def. Isabella Krupa/Kseniya Zonova (SEMO), 6-2
Oleksandra Doroshenko/Alessandra Maya Thompson (SEMO) def. Serena Nash/Clare Raley (MIZ), 6-1
Mackenzy Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Anais Emelie/Maja Lundell (SEMO), 6-1
SINGLES (order of finish: 2, 4, 3, 1)
Serena Nash (MIZ) def. Oleksandra Doroshenko (SEMO), 6-1, 6-2
Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Isabella Krupa (SEMO), 6-1, 6-1
Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) def. Kseniya Zonova (SEMO), 6-1, 6-2
Amina Ismail (MIZ) def. Kelly Sicha (SEMO), 6-2, 6-1
Clare Raley (MIZ) vs. Anais Emelie (SEMO), 6-4, suspended
Taylor Gruber (MIZ) vs. Alessandra Maya Thompson (SEMO), 7-6 (4), suspended
MIZZOU 6, UCA 1
DOUBLES (order of finish: 2, 3, 1)
Serena Nash/Clare Raley (MIZ) def. Pornpawee Pramethong/Marli Van Heerden (UCA), 6-2
Amina Ismail/Taylor Gruber (MIZ) def. Chunan Xiang/Amiru Shimoguchi (UCA), 6-2
Mackenzy Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. QiLi Ma/Rada Manataweewat (UCA), 6-3
SINGLES (order of finish: 4, 1, 3, 2, 5, 6)
Serena Nash (MIZ) def. Pornpawee Pramethong (UCA), 6-2, 7-5
Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Chunan Xiang (UCA), 6-1, 2-6, 6-2
Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) def. Hee-Jin Oh (UCA), 6-3, 6-1
Amina Ismail (MIZ) def. Amiru Shimoguchi (UCA), 6-2, 6-1
Marli Van Heerden (UCA) def. Clare Raley (MIZ), 1-6, 6-1, 1-0 (7)
Taylor Gruber (MIZ) def. Rada Manataweewat (UCA), 6-4, 6-2
Players Mentioned
