South Carolina Takes Down Mississippi State 4-3
Columbia, S.C. – No. 42 South Carolina topped No. 54 Mississippi State in a 4-3 decision on Friday evening. After securing the doubles point, No. 2 Sarah Hamner clinched the win for the third time this season.
In doubles, the Gamecocks got to work from the get-go. On Court 5, Gracie Mulville and Misa Malkin quickly built a 5-0 lead over their Bulldog opponents. Alexandra Mikhailuk and Alessia Tagliente came back to win one game, but Malkin and Mulville sealed the deal 6-1.
On Court 2, Ayana Akli and Ana Cruz paired together to take on Emma Antonaki and Marta Falceto. The match was closely contested until the Gamecock pair notched the 6-3 win to clinch the doubles point. At the top of the lineup, No. 38 Megan Davies and Sarah Hamner led 5-4 and were at match point when play was suspended.
In singles, the match continued to be competitive. No. 61 Akli brought her doubles momentum into singles and went up 5-0 before closing the first set 6-3. The second set mirrored the first with Akli building a 5-1 lead. She won the set in a 6-3 decision to give South Carolina the 2-0 lead.
The Gamecocks would grab the next point with a win on Court 5. Freshman Malkin came back from a 3-0 deficit in the first set to win a tiebreak 7-6 (5). From there she settled in, winning the second set in an efficient 6-1 decision to bring the Gamecocks closer to the win.
Mississippi State got on the board next with a point at the bottom of the lineup, but South Carolina was prepped to respond. No. 2 Sarah Hamner completed a comeback win at the top of the lineup after dropping the first set. She quickly won the next two sets 6-4 to give the win to the Gamecocks.
Play continued on the remaining courts which both went to three sets and featured one tiebreak set each. The Bulldogs claimed the win on those two courts bringing the final score to South Carolina 4, Mississippi State 3.
South Carolina continues its homestead on Sunday with a noon match against No. 44 Ole Miss. Sunday’s match will be Garnet Aces Kids Day and South Carolina Tennis shirts will be available in youth medium, youth large and youth extra-large.
(45) South Carolina def. (54) Mississippi State 4-3
Doubles (Order of Finish: 3, 2*)
1. Megan Davies/Sarah Hamner (SC) vs. Tamara Racine/Chloe Cirotte (MSST) 5-4 DNF
2. Ayana Akli/Ana Cruz (SC) def. Emma Antonaki/Marta Falceto (MSST) 6-3
3. Gracie Mulville/Misa Malkin (SC) def. Alexandra Mikhailuk/Alessia Tagliente (MSST) 6-1
Singles (Order of Finish: 2, 5, 6, 1*, 3, 4)
1. No. 2 Sarah Hamner (SC) def. No. 95 Emma Antonaki (MSST) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
2. No. 61 Ayana Akli (SC) def. No. 123 Tamara Racine (MSST) 6-3, 6-3
3. Chloe Cirotte (MSST) def. Megan Davies (SC) 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 (3)
4. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSST) def. No. 86 Elise Mills (SC) 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-4
5. Misa Malkin (SC) def. Alessia Tagliente (MSST) 7-6 (5), 6-1
6. Marta Falceto (MSST) def. Gracie Mulville (SC) 6-3, 6-4
