Women's Tennis
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - With singles and doubles both in action, Mississippi State’s rookie tennis duo of Natalia Mayuk and Olesya Tsigvintseva fell just short of claiming a title in doubles play Saturday at the SEC Fall Coaches Classic while Mayuk picked up the lone victory in singles consolation play for the Lady Bulldogs.
In doubles, Mayuk and Tsigvintseva dropped an 8-3 decision to Alex Haney and Melissa Koning of Auburn in the championship match of the Crimson Draw. State’s pair of Makarycheva and Ferancova lost to Paulina Bigos and Tiffany Welcher of Alabama 8-4 in the White Draw’s third-place matchup.
Playing in the seventh place match of the Blue Draw in singles, Mayuk defeated Soledad Podlipnik of Ole Miss in straight sets 6-0, 6-4. Meanwhile, in other singles play, Tsigvintseva lost a hard fought three-set match 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to Whitney Wolf of LSU, while junior Valeriya Makarycheva also lost in three sets, 1-6, 6-3, 6-0. Jordan Zachary and Radka Ferancova were the other two Lady Bulldogs falling in singles.
After a decision by league officials and coaches to finish action Saturday, Saturday wrapped up State’s fall campaign. The Lady Bulldogs will begin action in spring 2009 against North Texas on Jan. 24.