No. 14 Women’s Tennis downs No. 33 Mississippi State, 4

Austin – No. 14 Texas Women's Tennis downed No. 33 Mississippi State, 4-1, on Saturday in match that was moved indoors to the Weller Indoor Tennis Center. The Longhorns swept singles against the Bulldogs to win their fourth-straight match.

Mississippi State secured the doubles point with wins at Nos. 2 and 1, however Texas answered with singles victories by sophomore No. 1 Carmen Herea at No. 1, and freshmen Christasha McNeil at No. 4, No. 16 Anstasia Abbagnato at No. 2, and Elizabeth Ionescu at No. 5 to clinch. Sophomore No. 81 Eszter Meri was also in a second-set tiebreaker in an attempt to win her match at No. 3 when play stopped.

After doubles, despite going to three sets, Herea was first off the singles court with a win over Gianna Oboniye, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1, at No. 1. Christasha McNeil then gave the Longhorns the lead for good with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Chiara Di Genova at No. 4.

Abbagnato extended the lead to 3-1 with a 7-6 (7), 6-1 win over former Longhorn Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz at No. 2. Meanwhile, Ionescu provided the clinch with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over Carolina Troiano at No. 5.

That left two matches unfinished, including Meri, who led Thessy Ntondele Zinga, 6-0, 6-6 (3-3), at No. 3, and freshman Mathilde Ngijol-Carré, who also played a second-set tiebreaker that she won to force a third set and lead against Athina Pitta, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 1-0, at No. 6.

Earlier in doubles, the No. 50 duo of Ionescu and McNeil fell to Pitta and Oboniye, 6-4, at No. 2. Moments later, Abbagnato and Ngijol-Carré were downed by No. 71 Kempenaers-Pocz and Di Genova, 6-3, at No. 1. Herea and sophomore Salma Drugdova were then even, 4-4, with Emma Cohen and Ntondele Zinga at No. 1 when play halted.

The Longhorns will next host No. 11 South Carolina at the Texas Tennis Center on Thursday, March 12, at 2 p.m. CT.

#14 Texas 4, #33 Mississippi State 1

Singles – Order of Finish (1,4,2,5)

1. #1 Carmen Herea (TEX) def. Gianna Oboniye (MSST) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1

2. #16 Anastasia Abbagnato (TEX) def. Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz (MSST) 7-6 (7), 6-1

3. #81 Eszter Meri (TEX) vs. Thessy Ntondele Zinga (MSST) 6-0, 6-6 (3-3), unf.

4. Christasha McNeil (TEX) def. Chiara Di Genova (MSST) 6-4, 6-3

5. Elizabeth Ionescu (TEX) def. Carolina Troiano (MSST) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

6. Mathilde Ngijol-Carré (TEX) vs. Athina Pitta (MSST) 3-6, 7-6 (6), 1-0, unf.

Doubles – Order of Finish (2,1)

1. #71 Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz/Chiara Di Genova (MSST) def. Anastasia Abbagnato/Mathilde Ngijol-Carré (TEX) 6-3

2. Athina Pitta/Gianna Oboniye (MSST) def. #50 Elizabeth Ionescu/Christasha McNeil (TEX) 6-4

3. Carmen Herea/Salma Drugdova (TEX) vs. Emma Cohen/Thessy Ntondele Zinga (MSST) 4-4, unf.

Click here to read article