University of Missouri
Virginia Tech
@MizzouTennis Downs Virginia Tech, 4-1
2/3/2019 3:33:00 PM | Tennis
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Mizzou tennis team improved to 5-1 on the spring dual season with a 4-1 win over Virginia Tech Sunday afternoon at the Mizzou Tennis Complex.
DOUBLES
Mizzou earned wins at No. 1 and No. 3 competition to nab the doubles point. Junior Mackenzy Middlebrooks (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and sophomore Ellie Wright (Gainesville, Fla.) improved to 4-0 in dual action after a 6-2 victory over Nika Kozar and Nina Sorkin at No. 1. The Tigers went up 1-0 thanks to a 6-3 win for sophomore Marta Oliveira (Lisbon, Portugal) and freshman Vivien Abraham (Budapest, Hungary) against Shene Disbergen and Rita Pinto.
SINGLES
Freshman Lisa Fukutoku (Tokyo, Japan) started Mizzou strong in singles with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 win at No. 2 action against Nina Sorkin. She trailed the first-set tiebreaker 5-1 but rallied to score the final six points to claim the first set, and breezed to the win with strong play in the second.
At No. 4 singles, Wright prevailed over Disbergen, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 to improve to a perfect 6-0 on the spring season. Middlebrooks clinched the Tiger victory at No. 1 action when we recovered from dropping the first set to dispatch Nika Kozar, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
QUOTABLES
Mizzou Head Coach Colt Gaston
"We set the tone in doubles. I was super proud of the way we finished and put the pedal down in certain spots. With a tough team like Virginia Tech, it's going to come down to a few points, and the momentum definitely shifted in our favor after Lisa (Fukutoku) won her tiebreak. I really thought Ellie (Wright) continued to play some great tennis today and build on her confidence, and Mackenzy (Middlebrooks) topped it off with a playing her best tennis under pressure. It was definitely a team effort to get the win and I'm proud of these Tigers. And a big thank you to our fans. They really kept the energy up and were incredible today."
UP NEXT
The Tigers travel to Wichita, Kan, to take on Wichita State on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. CT.
RESULTS
Mizzou 4, Virginia Tech 1
Doubles
1. Mackenzie Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Nika Kozar/Nina Pinto (VT), 6-2
2. Serena Nash/Gabrielle Goldin (MIZ) vs. Shene Disbergen/Rita Pinto (VT), 5-4 unfinished
3. Marta Oliveira/Vivien Abraham (MIZ) def. Annie Clark/Samantha Gillas (VT), 6-3
Order of finish: 1,3
Singles
1. Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) def. Nika Kozar (VT), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. Lisa Fukutoku (MIZ) def. Nina Sorkin (VT), 7-6 (7-5), 6-1
3. Samantha Gillas (VT) def. Serena Nash (MIZ), 3-6, 7-5, 6-1
4. Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Shene Disbergen (VT), 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
5. Taylor Gruber (MIZ) vs. Rita Pinto (VT), 0-1 unfinished
6. Vivien Abraham (MIZ) vs. Elizabet Danailova (VT), unfinished
Order of finish: 1,4,1,3
Players Mentioned
