Troy Falls To Mississippi State

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Troy's women's tennis team fell to Mississippi State University 4-3 Friday in a fierce battle at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Center that featured four three-set matches in singles competition. Troy falls to 2-5 (four losses to SEC schools) this season, while Mississippi State improves to 5-0.

MSU grabbed the doubles point with wins at the No. 3 and No. 2 doubles positions. On court No. 3, the State duo of Daniela Juskova and Valeriya Makarycheva defeated Leonie Guijt and Caroline Jounia 8-3. State then nabbed the doubles point with an 8-5 victory by Renee Joseph and Radka Ferancova at the No. 2 spot, defeating the Trojans' Stephanie Vieria and Mirte de Bakker. To finish out doubles play, Troy picked up win at number one when the team of Annabelle Bares and Rawia El Sisi defeated the Bulldog tandem of Martina Banikova and Elna de Vililers 8-7(4).

In singles play, MSU took a 2-0 match lead when, on court No. 4, Juskova defeated Jounia 6-0, 6-3. Troy would then post back-to-back wins to even the team score at 2-2. Viera defeated Saddler 7-6(4), 6-4 at the No. 6 position and El Sisi defeated Banikova at the No. 1 position 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.

Mississippi State would go back on top 3-2 with a win at the No. 3 position where Ferancova would fight back after losing the second set to claim a gutsy 7-5, 1-6, 6-2 victory over de Bakker.

Then at the No. 2 position, after losing the first set, the MSU senior Joseph would fight back in the second 6-4 to force a third and decisive set. Joseph and Bares then battled to a third-set tiebreaker, where Bares would serve for the match at 6-5. However, Joseph would win the next three points to clinch the win and the match for the Lady Bulldogs.

Joseph's win was big as, in the final singles match, de Villiers fell in another close matchup to Troy's Guijt 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 on court No. 5.

Troy returns to action on March 1 when they travel to Winthrop.

Mississippi State 4, Troy 3
February 22, 2008 ? Starkville, Miss.
DOUBLES
1. Annabelle Bares/Rawia El Sisi (Troy) def. Martina Banikova/Elna de Villiers (MSU) 8-7(4)
2. Radka Ferancova/Renee Joseph (MSU) def. Stephanie Viera/Mirte de Bakker (Troy) 8-5
3. Daniela Juskova/Valeriya Makarycheva (MSU) def. Caroline Jounia/Leonie Guijt (Troy) 8-3.
SINGLES
1. El Sisi (Troy) def. Banikova (MSU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-0
2. Joseph (MSU) def. Bares (Troy) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(6)
3. Ferancova (MSU) def. de Bakker (Troy) 7-5, 1-6, 6-2
4. Juskova (MSU) def. Jounia (Troy) 6-0, 6-3
5. Guijt (Troy) def. de Villiers (MSU) 7-5, 6-0, 4-6
6. Viera (Troy) def. Saddler (MSU) 7-6(4), 6-4.

Troy University Athletics

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