Missouri
Minnesota
@MizzouTennis Claims 4-3 Comeback Win Over Minnesota
2/16/2019 7:57:00 PM | Tennis
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Mizzou tennis team bounced back from a 3-0 deficit to earn a 4-3 come-from-behind win against Minnesota Saturday afternoon at the Racquet Club of Memphis in Memphis, Tenn. The Golden Gophers built a 3-0 advantage but the Tigers won the final four singles matches to claim the victory.
Missouri ran its winning streak to five matches with the win and is now 8-1 on the season. Minnesota fell to 5-2.
SINGLES
Minnesota picked up wins at No. 2 and 3 singles to take a commanding 3-0 lead with four singles matches remaining.
Freshman Vivien Abraham (Budapest, Hungary) began the Tiger comeback with a 7-6 (10-8), 6-3 win over Caitlyn Merzbacher at No. 5 action. A 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory for sophomore Ellie Wright (Gainesville, Fla.) against Cammy Frei at No. 4 pulled Mizzou within one, 3-2, with two matches still in play.
Junior Mackenzy Middlebrooks (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) recovered from dropping the first set to tie the team score at 3-3 with a 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-2, defeat of Tina Kreinis at No. 1 singles.
The match came down to the battle between sophomore Taylor Gruber (Spicewood, Texas) and Juliet Zhang at No. 6 competition. Zhang won the first set on a tiebreak but Gruber claimed victories in sets two and three for a 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4 to clinch the team win for Missouri.
DOUBLES
The Golden Gophers won the singles points with identical 6-3 wins at No. 1 and 2 doubles, as Frei and Merzbacher defeated Middlebrooks and Wright and Kreinis and Tiffany Huber outlasted Gruber and junior Serena Nash (Bradford, England).
QUOTABLES
Mizzou Head Coach Colt Gaston
"I am so proud of our team today! The amount of heart this group showed to come back from 3-0 down and win against a very good Minnesota team says a lot about these Tigers. I feel we are growing every day as a team. We look forward to getting back to work next week and building on these wins."
UP NEXT
Missouri returns to the Mizzou Tennis Complex for a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 23. The Tigers host Central Arkansas at 1 p.m. before a 5 p.m. match against Missouri State.
RESULTS
Mizzou 4, Minnesota 3
Doubles
1. Cammy Frei/Caitlyn Merzbacher (Minn) def. Mackenzie Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ), 6-3
2. Tina Kreinis/Tiffany Huber Minn) def. Serena Nash/Taylor Gruber (MIZ), 6-3
3. Gabrielle Goldin/Lisa Fukutoku (MIZ) vs. Bita Mancera/River Hart (Minn), 5-4 unfinished
Order of finish: 2,1
Singles
1. Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) def. Tina Kreinis (Minn), 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-2
2. Tiffany Huber (Minn) def. Serena Nash (MIZ), 6-2, 6-0
3. Bita Mancera (Minn) def. Lisa Fukutoku (MIZ), 6-4, 6-4
4. Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Cammy Frei (Minn), 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
5. Vivien Abraham (MIZ) def. Caitlyn Merzbacher (Minn), 7-6 (10-8), 6-3
6. Taylor Gruber (MIZ) def. Juliet Zhang (Minn), 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4
Order of finish: 2,3,5,4,1,6
Players Mentioned
