University of Missouri
Alabama
@MizzouTennis Falls to Alabama in SEC Tournament
4/20/2016 1:08:00 PM | Tennis
Santos awaits NCAA Tournament fate, individual tournament field to be announced May 4
BATON ROUGE, La. – In first round action from the Southeastern Conference Tournament, No. 65 Mizzou Tennis (16-12, 3-10 SEC) dropped its opening contest to No. 61 Alabama (5-17, 0-13 SEC), 4-0, on Wednesday in Baton Rouge, La.
In doubles play, Alabama took the doubles point with wins on courts one and three. Sophomore Clare Raley (Atlanta, Ga.) and senior Kelli Hine (New Braunfels, Texas) got the call to start at the No. 1 position for the first time this season, but fell to Erin Routliffe and Natalia Maynetto, 6-3. On court three, junior Cassidy Spearman (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) and junior Brittany Lashway (Bradenton, Fla.) fell to Bennett Dunn and Danielle Spielmann, 6-1.
Alabama clinched the match in singles play following wins on courts one, five, and six. Spearman, playing at the No. 3 position, and Lashway, playing at No. 4, each recorded wins in the first set over their opponents before the match was stopped due to the outcome being determined. Spearman led 4-3 in the second set against Natalia Maynetto and Lashway trailed, 4-3, in the second set to Danielle Spielmann when play was stopped. On court two, Hine faced match point twice in the second set, only to fight back to force the set into a tiebreaker before her match was stopped against Andie Daniell.
With the loss, Mizzou finishes the season with a record of 16-12 and 3-10 in conference play. Mizzou's 16 wins ranks fourth among single season wins in program history. Three wins in SEC play is the most for Mizzou since joining the league prior to the 2012-13 season.
Junior Bea Machado Santos (Lisbon, Portugal), currently ranked No. 53 in the Oracle/ITA Tennis Collegiate Tennis Singles Rankings, could still be selected for the individual field in the NCAA Tournament, May 19-30 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Selection day for the individual field is slated for May 4. If Santos is selected for the field, she would be the first NCAA Tournament competitor for Mizzou since 2003 when Urska Juric competed in the singles and doubles field (with Katka Sevcikova).
For all the latest on Mizzou Tennis, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook (MizzouTennis), Twitter (@MizzouTennis), and Instagram (@Mizzou_Tennis).
Alabama 4, Mizzou 0
Doubles
1. Erin Routliffe / Natalia Maynetto (Alabama) def. Kelli Hine / Clare Raley (Mizzou): 6-3
2. Andie Daniell / Joanna Nena Savva (Alabama) vs. Bea Machado Santos / Kadi Fauble (Mizzou): 5-4, unfinished
3. Bennett Dunn / Danielle Spielmann (Alabama) def. Cassidy Spearman / Brittany Lashway (Mizzou): 6-1
Singles
1. #27 Erin Routliffe (Alabama) def. #53 Bea Machado Santos (Mizzou): 6-2, 6-2
2. #49 Andie Daniell (Alabama) vs. Kelli Hine (Mizzou): 6-3, 6-6, unfinished
3. Natalia Maynetto (Alabama) vs. Cassidy Spearman (Mizzou): 6-7, 3-4, unfinished
4. Danielle Spielmann (Alabama) vs. Brittany Lashway (Mizzou): 5-7, 5-4, unfinished
5. Joanna Nena Savva (Alabama) def. Clare Raley (Mizzou): 6-1, 6-2
6. Bennett Dunn (Alabama) def. Turner Yates (Mizzou): 6-4, 6-3
Players Mentioned
