University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Michigan State
Gophers Drop Close Contest to MSU
3/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The 63rd-ranked Minnesota women's tennis team dropped its second road match to a top-50 opponent in as many days Sunday, falling 4-3 to 44th-ranked Michigan State. The Gophers fell to 11-6 on the year with a 1-2 mark in the Big Ten with the loss.
The Spartans improved to 15-2 and 4-0 in the conference by winning for the 13th time in their last 14 matches.
Minnesota began the match with a strong performance in doubles as freshmen Caroline Ryba and Mehvish Safdar dominated Lexi Baylis and Emily Meyers for an 8-1 win at No. 3. Tereza Brichacova and Paula Rincon-Otero wrapped up the first point of the match with an 8-4 victory at No. 1.
Julia Courter wasted little time extending the Gophers lead with a 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 6 singles, but MSU responded by taking singles Nos. 4 and 1.
Aria Lambert regained the lead for the Maroon and Gold at No. 5 with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Athena Trouillot. Lambert has won 10 of her last 12 singles matches and is 13-3 on the spring. The Deephaven, Minn. native now has 75-career singles wins, tied with Karin Eneberg for the 11th-most in program history.
Following Lambert's win, MSU rallied. Aslina Chua won in three sets at No. 3 and Baylis had a comeback win at No. 2 that ended the match, giving Michigan State a 4-3 win.
The Gophers continue Big Ten action next week with trips to Rutgers and Maryland before returning to the Baseline Tennis Center to take on Iowa and Nebraska to begin a five-match homestand.
No. 44 Michigan State 4, No. 63 Minnesota 3
MSU Indoor Courts (East Lansing, Mich.)
Singles competition
1. Erin Faulkner (MSU) def. Tereza Brichacova (MINN) 6-4, 6-3
2. Lexi Baylis (MSU) def. Caroline Ryba (MINN) 6-4, 7-6 (7)
3. Aslina Chua (MSU) def. Jessika Mozia (MINN) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
4. Catherine Parenteau (MSU) def. Maja Vujic (MINN) 6-3, 6-1
5. Aria Lambert (MINN) def. Athena Trouillot (MSU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Julia Courter (MINN) def. Emily Meyers (MSU) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Paula Rincon Otero/Tereza Brichacova (MINN) def. Erin Faulkner/Athena Trouillot (MSU) 8-4
2. Julia Courter/Jessika Mozia (MINN) vs. Catherine Parenteau/Allie Baer (MSU) unfinished
3. Caroline Ryba/Mehvish Safdar (MINN) def. Lexi Baylis/Emily Meyers (MSU) 8-1
Match Notes
Minnesota 11-6 (1-2 Big Ten)
Michigan State 15-2 (4-0 Big Ten)
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (6,4,1,5,3,2)
###
Players Mentioned
