Michigan State University
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Western Michigan University
MSU Women’s Tennis Sweeps Sunday Doubleheader
2/11/2024 9:31:00 PM | Women's Tennis
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State women's tennis team welcomed in-state rivals Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan inside the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility where it swept both teams 4-0.
Michigan State improves to 5-2 and are the winners of four straight. Both Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan dropped to 5-2.
"I'm proud of how tough we played in some tough moments," said Michigan State head coach Kim Bruno. "For some of these players this is their sixth set, so there was some fatigue but we got out there and got it done."
Action began against Western Michigan on the doubles court where the Spartans were pushed to the limits, but came away with the doubles point. The pairing of sophomore Makenna Martinez and graduate Nicole Conard stampeded through the Broncos' pairing of Karin Hamilton and Audrey Smitek 6-2. On court three, it was a back-and-forth affair as sophomore Issey Purser and freshman Ria Bhakta battled back from a 2-4 deficit to win five of the next six and knocked off Polina Khotko and Ariane Souligny 7-5. Court one went unfinished with junior Liisa Vehvilainen and sophomore Matilde Morais in a 5-6 bout.
Michigan State rolled through Western Michigan as it swept singles play as the Green and White took the first set on all six courts. Sophomore Marley Lambert was the first Spartan to finish their match, as she earned her first win of the season in two sets 6-4, 6-0. Bhakta remains perfect in singles competition as she took down Khotko 6-3, 6-1. Morais secured the teams second-straight victory as she won her match 6-2,6-3 and moves to 3-1 overall on court one. Vehvilainen (6-4, 5-0), Purser (6-3, 5-3) and freshman Natalie Stasny (7-6, 3-2) matches went unfinshed but each held leads on their respective courts.
In the second part of the doubleheader, Michigan State went head-to-head against Eastern Michigan. The Spartans attacked early on the first doubles court, as senior Ayshe Can and Conard ran through the duo of Prerna Vichare and Daniella Shved 6-0. Over on court three Martinez and sophomore Sarah Fazlagic pulled out a gritty 7-5 victory to take the doubles point.
During the one-on-one action Purser took down Andrea Quiroz with a 6-2, 6-2 sweep on court three. Bhakta extended the Green and White lead with a sweep on court four 6-1, 6-1. Over on court six, Conard secured the doubleheader victory for the Spartans as she took down Sabina Brichackova 7-6 (7-3), 6-2. The three other courts were in tight battles all were in the third sets before Conard iced the match.
Results
Michigan State 4, Western Michigan 0
Singles competition
1. Matilde Morais (MSU) def. Lindsey Zieglar (WMU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Liisa Vehvilainen (MSU) vs. Karin Hamilton (WMU) 6-4, 5-0, unfinished
3. Issey Purser (MSU) vs. Valeriya Monko (WMU) 6-3, 5-3, unfinished
4. Ria Bhakta (MSU) def. Polina Khotko (WMU) 6-3, 6-1
5. Natalie Stasny (MSU) vs. Ariane Souligny (WMU) 7-6 (8-6), 3-2, unfinished
6. Marley Lambert (MSU) def. Audrey Smitek (WMU) 6-4, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Liisa Vehvilainen/Matilde Morais (MSU) vs. Lindsey Zieglar/Valeriya Monko (WMU) 5-6, unfinished
2. Makenna Martinez/Nicole Conard (MSU) def. Karin Hamilton/Audrey Smitek (WMU) 6-2
3. Issey Purser/Ria Bhakta (MSU) def. Polina Khotko/Ariane Souligny (WMU) 7-5
Michigan State 4, Eastern Michigan 0
Singles competition
1. Matilde Morais (MSU) vs. Daniella Shved (EMU) 6-2, 5-7, unfinished
2. Liisa Vehvilainen (MSU) vs. Prerna Vichare (EMU) 6-3, 5-7, unfinished
3. Issey Purser (MSU) vs. Andrea Quiroz (EMU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Ria Bhakta (MSU) def. Ksyusha Saenko (EMU) 6-1, 6-1
5. Marley Lambert (MSU) vs. Linda Eloundou (EMU) 6-2, 5-7, unfinished
6. Nicole Conard (MSU) def. Sabina Brichackova (EMU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Ayshe Can / Nicole Conard (MSU) def. Prerna Vichare / Daniella Shved (EMU) 6-0
2. Liisa Vehvilainen / Matilde Morais (MSU) vs. Sabina Brichackova / Ksyusha Saenko (EMU) unfinished
3. Makenna Martinez / Sarah Fazlagic (MSU) def. Linda Eloundou / Andrea Quiroz (EMU) 7-5
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
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#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
6,4,1
Players Mentioned
