University of Missouri
Wichita State
@MizzouTennis Rallies for 4-2 Victory over Wichita State
2/6/2019 6:38:00 PM | Tennis
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Mizzou tennis team won four of five singles matches to earn a 4-2 win over Wichita State Wednesday afternoon in Wichita, Kan. Missouri improved to 6-1 with the victory, which was the Tigers' first win over the Shockers since 2013, while the Wichita State fell to 1-3.
SINGLES
With the team score tied 2-2, sophomore Ellie Wright (Gainesville, Fla.) dropped the first set but fought back to claim the second, setting up a decisive third set. The final frame went to a tiebreak, where Wright won the final three points to claim a 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (6) victory over LingWei Kong at No. 4 singles. The win, Wright's seventh in seven matches this spring, gave the Tigers a 3-2 advantage.
Playing at No. 5 competition, freshman Vivien Ábrahám (Budapest, Hungary) then clinched the Missouri victory with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Alexandra Lazarova.
Junior Mackenzy Middlebrooks (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) got the Tigers rolling in singles as she dispatched Sandra Honigova, 6-2, 6-2, at the No. 1 position. Mizzou then took a 2-1 lead when junior Serena Nash (Bradford, England) defeated Esther Thebault at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 7-5.
Wichita State pulled one back at No. 3, where Marta Bellucco beat freshman Lisa Fukutoku (Tokyo, Japan), 7-6 (4), 6-3, before Mizzou won the final two matches of the day.
DOUBLES
Middlebrooks and Wright claimed their sixth doubles win of the spring with a 6-2 victory over Wichita State's Esther Thebault and Sarvinoz Saidhujeava at No. 1 action. However, the Shockers came back with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 to win the doubles point. Ting-Ya Hsu and Lingwei Kong posted a 6-2 victory over sophomore Marta Oliveira (Lisbon, Portugal) and Abraham at No. 3, and Sandra Honigova and Marta Bellucco withstood juniors Gabrielle Goldin (Bradenton, Fla.) and Nash in a tight match, 7-6 (3) at No. 2 play.
QUOTABLES
Mizzou Head Coach Colt Gaston
"I could not be more proud of the team. We showed a lot of heart to lose the doubles point in a tight battle and bounce back in singles the way we did. Wichita State is always a very solid team, and the team really had to fight to finish the match out. Mackenzy (Middlebrooks) continues to play some great tennis and I was impressed with the way Serena (Nash), Ellie (Wright) and Vivi (Abraham) played the big points down the stretch. We are looking forward to using the next week to continue to build and prepare for Memphis."
UP NEXT
The Tigers next travel to Memphis, Tenn., for a pair of contests. Mizzou first takes on Memphis on Friday, Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. CT, followed by a match against Minnesota on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 1 p.m.
RESULTS
Mizzou 4, Wichita State 2
Doubles
1. Mackenzy Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. Esther Thebault/Sarvinoz Saidhujaeva (WSU), 6-2
2. Sandra Honigova/Marta Bellucco (WSU) def. Gabrielle Goldin/Serena Nash (MIZ), 7-6 (7-3)
3. Ting-Ya Hsu/LingWei Kong (WSU) def. Vivien Abraham/Marta Oliveira (MIZ), 6-2
Order of finish: 1,3,2
Singles
1. Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) def. Sandra Honigova (WSU), 6-2, 6-2
2. Serena Nash (MIZ) def. Esther Thebault (WSU), 6-1, 7-5
3. Marta Bellucco (WSU) def. Lisa Fukutoku (MIZ), 7-6 (4), 6-3
4. Ellie Wright (MIZ) def. LingWei Kong (WSU), 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (6)
5. Vivien Ábrahám (MIZ) def. Alexandra Lazarova (WSU), 6-3, 6-3
6. Taylor Gruber (MIZ) v. Ting-Ya Hsu (WSU), 6-2, 1-2 unfinished
Order of finish: 1,2,3,4,5
Players Mentioned
