University of Missouri
Virginia Tech
@MizzouTennis Splits Pair of Matches in Virginia
2/3/2018 7:21:00 PM | Tennis
Tigers rebound from close VT loss with sweep of Radford
BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Mizzou Tennis team split a pair of matches Saturday at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center, falling in a close 4-2 decision at Virginia Tech before rebounding for a 4-0 win vs. Radford.
In the opener, the Tigers fought hard to earn the doubles point. Down 1-0 after a loss at No. 3, Mizzou (6-1) rallied with a 6-4 win at No. 1 from senior co-captain Clare Raley (Atlanta, Ga.) and sophomore Serena Nash (Bradford, England). Senior co-captain Amina Ismail (Maineville, Ohio) and Freshman Taylor Gruber (Spicewood, Texas) then won the doubles point with a hard-fought 7-6 (3) win at No. 2.
The singles matches went back and forth all afternoon, and four of the six matches went to three sets. Two of those four went to a 7-6 tiebreak in the deciding set, and both of those went in favor of the Hokies (3-0). Raley was the only Tiger to capture a win in singles vs. Virginia Tech, registering a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 win over Nina Sorkin at No. 6.
In the finale vs. Radford (1-1), it was all Mizzou from the start. The Tigers again captured the doubles point on the strength of wins at No. 1 and No. 3. Sophomore Mackenzy Middlebrooks (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and freshman Ellie Wright (Gainesville, Fla.) rolled to a 6-0 win, and Raley & Nash clinched the point for Mizzou with a 6-4 victory.
In singles, Middlebrooks got her second whitewash of the day with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Lotti Meszaros at No. 3, and freshman Ally Noback (Alpharetta, Ga.) earned her first win of the season with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over the Highlanders' Lilly Ellick. Nash then pocketed her third win of the day with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Drousile Dzeubou to clinch the match for Mizzou.
"Tough one for us earlier today. We came out a little flat from the start, but did a good job of fighting back in doubles," said Head Coach Colt Gaston. "It was a little bit of the same in singles - we got behind early, and any time you put yourself in that situation on the road against a good team, it's never easy coming back. The girls fought hard today and never gave up. I was proud of them for how they responded in the Radford match. We're really excited to get home in front of our fans next weekend."
UP NEXT
The Tigers return home for a 10-match, five-weekend homestand beginning next Saturday, Feb. 10, vs. Tulane and South Dakota State. Competition at the Mizzou Tennis Complex begins at 11 a.m. vs. the Green Wave, with the finale vs. the Jackrabbits set for 3 p.m. 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
VIRGINIA TECH 4, MIZZOU 2
DOUBLES (order of finish: 3, 1, 2)
Serena Nash/Clare Raley (MIZ) def. Caroline Daxhelet/Natalie Novotna (VT), 6-4
Amina Ismail/Taylor Gruber (MIZ) def. Sarah Baron/Elena Cerezo-Cordina (VT), 7-6 (4)
Nika Kozar/Nina Sorkin (VT) def. Mackenzy Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ), 6-3
SINGLES (order of finish: 1, 3, 6, 5, 2)
#25 Natalie Novotna (VT) def. Marta Oliveira (MIZ), 6-2, 6-1
Caroline Daxhelet (VT) def. Serena Nash (MIZ), 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (5)
Elena Cerezo-Cordina (VT) def. Ellie Wright (MIZ), 7-5, 6-2
Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) vs. Nika Kozar (VT), 6-7 (3), 7-5, 1-2, suspended
Katherine Butler (VT) def. Taylor Gruber (MIZ), 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (5)
Clare Raley (MIZ) def. Nina Sorkin (VT), 6-2, 5-7, 6-3
MIZZOU 4, RADFORD 0
DOUBLES (order of finish: 3, 1, 2)
Serena Nash/Clare Raley (MIZ) def. Natalie Sayer/Tyler Blalock (RU), 6-4
Drousile Dzeubou/Lotti Meszaros (RU) def. Amina Ismail/Taylor Gruber (MIZ), 6-4
Mackenzy Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Jeanine Acierto/Lilly Ellick (RU), 6-0
SINGLES (order of finish: 3, 6, 1)
Serena Nash (MIZ) def. Drousile Dzeubou (RU), 6-1, 6-3
Ellie Wright (MIZ) vs. Natalie Sayer (RU), 6-4, 3-3, suspended
Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) def. Lotti Meszaros (RU), 6-0, 6-0
Taylor Gruber (MIZ) vs. Tyler Blalock (RU), 7-5, 5-4, suspended
Clare Raley (MIZ) vs. Jeanine Acierto (RU), 6-4, 3-4, suspended
Ally Noback (MIZ) def. Lilly Ellick (RU), 6-2, 6-3
Players Mentioned
