University of Missouri
Central Arkansas
@MizzouTennis Wins Sixth and Seventh Consecutive Matches in Saturday Doubleheader
2/23/2019 9:25:00 PM | Tennis
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 34 Mizzou tennis team ran its winning streak to seven with a pair of victories on Saturday afternoon at the Mizzou Tennis Complex. The Tigers defeated Central Arkansas 4-1 before a 4-0 sweep over Missouri State. Missouri, which has not lost since Jan. 30, improved to 10-1 on the season.
MIZZOU 4, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 1
The Tigers earned the doubles point and took the first three singles matches to register their first win of Saturday's doubleheader. Mizzou picked up doubles win at No. 1 and No. 3 action to go up 1-0 early. Junior Mackenzy Middlebrooks (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and sophomore Ellie Wright (Gainesville, Fla.) defeated Chunxi Xin and Marli Van Heerden, 6-2, at No. 1, while at No. 3, junior Gabrielle Goldin (Bradenton, Fla.) and sophomore Marta Oliveira (Lisbon, Portugal) took down Rada Manataweewat and Fuka Nonoyama, 6-1.
In singles, Wright gave Mizzou a 2-0 advantage as she got the Tigers rolling in singles with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Van Heerden at No. 4 competition. Playing at No. 2, junior Serena Nash (Bradford, England) posted a 7-5, 6-3 win over Mei Ishimura, and Middlebrooks claimed a 7-5, 6-3 victory against Fuka Nonoyama at No. 1 action to nail down the Mizzou win.
MIZZOU 4, MISSOURI STATE 0
Missouri's seventh-consecutive victory came over Missouri State in the second match of the doubleheader. The Tigers used doubles wins from Middlebrooks and Wright at No. 1 and Abraham and sophomore Taylor Gruber (Spicewood, Texas) at No. 3 action to nab the early point. Middlebrooks and Wright dispatched Anna Alons and Burger, 6-0, while Gruber and Abraham defeated Phoebe Boeschen and Fati Khamissi, 6-4.
Wins at No. 1, 3 and 4 singles were all the Tigers needed for the team victory. Middlebrooks improved to 10-1 in the spring with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Alye Darter at No. 1 competition. A 6-0, 6-0 victory for Abraham over Boeschen at No. 4 action improved the freshmen's spring record to a perfect 7-0, and freshman Lisa Fukutoku (Tokyo, Japan) clinched the Tiger win with after she defeated Khamissi, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 3 singles.
QUOTABLES
Mizzou Head Coach Colt Gaston
"I was very proud of the team's effort today. Central Arkansas and Missouri State are two solid teams, and we knew they were going to be touch matches. I thought we did a great job of staying focused and keeping high intensity throughout the matches. I feel like we're improving every day. We are all looking forward to getting conference started next week."
UP NEXT
Missouri returns to the Mizzou Tennis Complex for a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 23. The Tigers host Central Arkansas at 1 p.m. before a 5 p.m. match against Missouri State.
RESULTS
Mizzou 4, Central Arkansas 1
Doubles
1. Mackenzy Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Chunxi Xin/Marli Van Heerden (UCA), 6-2
2. Mei Ishimura/Yada Vasupongchai (UCA) def. Serena Nash/Lisa Fukutoku (MIZ), 6-2
3. Gabrielle Goldin/Marta Oliveira (MIZ) def. Rada Manataweewat/Fuka Nonoyama (UCA), 6-1
Order of finish: 1,3,2
Singles
1. Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) def. Fuka Nonoyama (UCA), 7-5, 6-3
2. Serena Nash (MIZ) def. Mei Ishimura (UCA), 7-5, 6-3
3. Chunxi Xin (UCA) def. Lisa Fukutoku (MIZ), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6
4. Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Marli Van Heerden (UCA), 6-4, 6-4
5. Vivien Abraham (MIZ) vs. Yada Vasupongchai (UCA), 6-4 unfinished
6. Taylor Gruber (MIZ) vs. Rada Manataweewat (UCA), 6-2 unfinished
Order of finish: 4,2,1,3
Mizzou 4, Missouri State 0
Doubles
1. Mackenzy Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Anna Alons/Ellie Burger (MSU), 6-0
2. Marta Oliveira/Gabrielle Goldin (MIZ) vs. Alye Darter/Mara Presot (MSU), 4-5 unfinished
3. Taylor Gruber/Vivien Abraham (MIZ) def. Phoebe Boeschen/Fati Khamissi (MSU), 6-4
Order of finish: 1,3
Singles
1. Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) def. Alye Darter (MSU), 6-1, 6-1
2. Serena Nash (MIZ) vs. Anna Alons (MSU), 6-2, 4-4 unfinished
3. Lisa Fukutoku (MIZ) def. Fati Khamissi (MSU), 6-2, 6-2
4. Vivien Abraham (MIZ) def. Phoebe Boeschen (MSU), 6-0, 6-0
5. Taylor Gruber (MIZ) vs. Clara Gand-Gonzalez (MSU), 1-0 unfinished
6. Marta Oliveira (MIZ) vs. Ellie Burger (MSU), 0-1 unfinished
Order of finish: 1,4,3
Players Mentioned
