University of Missouri
(#35) Kansas State
@MizzouTennis Splits Pair of Matches to Complete Non-Conference
2/25/2018 9:29:00 PM | Tennis
Tigers to enter SEC slate at 11-3
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 49-ranked Mizzou Tennis team split a pair of matches Sunday afternoon at the Mizzou Tennis Complex in its final non-conference duals of the season. The Tigers (11-3) lost a 4-2 heartbreaker to No. 35 Kansas State in the afternoon before rebounding with a convincing 4-0 win over UMKC in the evening.
Sunday's sunny skies brought Mizzou's players outdoors for the first time all season vs. the Wildcats, yet for the second straight match the Tigers couldn't capture the doubles point. K-State won at No. 2, and the other two matches then quickly went into tiebreakers. Sophomore Mackenzy Middlebrooks (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and freshman Ellie Wright (Gainesville, Fla.) tied the match with their 7-6 (3) win at No. 3, but the Wildcats held on at No. 1 with their own 7-6 (3) triumph.
Singles was a back-and-forth affair, with five of the six matches going three sets. K-State took a 2-0 lead after a straight-sets win at No. 3, but sophomore Serena Nash (Bradford, England) scored an upset at No. 1 with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 win over No. 104-ranked Margot Decker. Middlebrooks notched her 16th of her now 17 consecutive singles win with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 4 over Carolina Costamagna to tie the match at 2-all, and both teams had chances to win the remaining three matches. In the end, K-State pulled away at No. 6 and No. 2 to register the win.
With sunset and colder temperatures quickly approaching, Mizzou moved back indoors to the Green Tennis Center for its doubleheader finale vs. UMKC. Mizzou wasted no time in winning the doubles point, with Middlebrooks and Wright posting their third 6-0 doubles win of the season at No. 3. Nash and senior co-captain Clare Raley (Atlanta, Ga.) then teamed up for a 6-2 win at No. 2 to secure the doubles point.
Mizzou then quickly put the match away with three identical 6-2, 6-1 wins. Freshman Marta Oliveira picked up her first singles win of the dual season with a dominant 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 4, then within moments of each other, Middlebrooks and Nash finished off their victories.
"It was another tough one for us against K-State. We didn't start well in doubles, and really dug ourselves a hole early," said Head Coach Colt Gaston. "I left like we had a ton of chances in this match, and didn't capitalize the way we wanted to. We need to do a better job of starting better in matches, and finishing better in crunch time. I was very proud of how the girls fought back on a tough day, though, and we will put in some hard work this week getting ready for Arkansas and the rest of SEC play."
UP NEXT
Mizzou continues its 10-match homestand, and opens Southeastern Conference action, this Friday at 4 p.m. vs. Arkansas. 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
#35 Kansas State 4, #49 Mizzou 2
DOUBLES (order of finish: 2, 3, 1)
Margot Decker/Carolina Costamagna (KSU) def. Taylor Gruber/Amina Ismail (MIZ), 7-6 (7)
Maria Linares/Rosanna Maffei (KSU) def. Serena Nash/Clare Raley (MIZ), 6-4
Mackenz Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Anna Turco/Ines Mesquita (KSU), 7-6 (3)
SINGLES (order of finish: 3, 1, 4, 6, 2)
Serena Nash (MIZ) def. #104 Margot Decker (KSU), 3-6, 6-4, 6-0
Maria Linares (KSU) def. Ellie Wright (MIZ), 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Rosanna Maffei (KSU) def. Marta Oliveira (MIZ), 6-1, 6-1
Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) def. Carolina Costamagna (KSU), 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
Anna Turco (KSU) vs. Amina Ismail (MIZ), 6-4, 5-7, 6-6, suspended
Ines Mesquita (KSU) def. Taylor Gruber (MIZ), 7-6, (4), 1-6, 6-4
#49 Mizzou 4, UMKC 0
DOUBLES (order of finish: 3, 2)
Melinda Johnson/Yana Grechkina (UMKC) vs. Taylor Gruber/Amina Ismail (MIZ), 3-4, suspended
Serena Nash/Clare Raley (MIZ) def. Aliona Ladutska/Grace Ball (UMKC), 6-2
Mackenz Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Thanushree Vale/Ioanna Lathouri (UMKC), 6-0
SINGLES (order of finish: 4, 3, 1)
Serena Nash (MIZ) def. Aliona Ladutska (UMKC), 6-2, 6-1
Melinda Johnson (UMKC) vs. Ellie Wright (MIZ), 6-3, 0-5, suspended
Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) def. Thanushree Vale (UMKC), 6-2, 6-1
Marta Oliveira (MIZ) def. Grace Ball (UMKC), 6-2, 6-1
Amina Ismail (MIZ) vs. Ioanna Lathouri (UMKC), suspended
Clare Raley (MIZ) vs. Brylin Staats (UMKC), suspended
Players Mentioned
