March 8, 2008

Results

HUNTINGTON, W. Va. - The Michigan State women's tennis team fell to No. 55 Marshall, 6-1, on Saturday afternoon in Huntington, W. Va. Junior Ana Milosavljevic posted her team leading 16th win of the season, defeating Marshall's Thaddea Lock, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, at No. 5 singles.

Marshall came out and took the momentum from the Spartans as it picked up two of three doubles matches, and gained the early 1-0 lead. At No. 1 doubles, No. 16 Marshall's Kellie Schmitt and Karolina Soor defeated MSU's Christine Bader and Whitney Wilson, 8-4, while MSU's Lindsey Lonergan and Stephanie Kebler fell at No. 3 to Yulia Kashelkina and Jessica Keener, 9-7. Milosavljevic and Manon Noe picked up the win at No. 2 doubles for MSU, downing Isabell Raich and Lock, 8-6. Milosavljevic now has a team-leading individual record of 16-6 in doubles this season.

In singles play, the Spartans put up a fight, bringing two of the six singles flights into third sets, but the Thundering Herd put the ball in play when it counted the most, taking five of six matches. At No. 1, MSU's Bader fell to No. 107 Kellie Schmitt, 6-2, 7-5, while Raich took out Lonergan at No. 4, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.

"This was a disappointing loss today," said MSU head coach Erica Perkins. "Coach Naughton and I knew that we would have to compete at a very high level if we wanted to upset Marshall. What's difficult is we did compete at a very high level and with a lot of intensity, but when things got tight Marshall wanted it more, and that's tough to take. We put ourselves in position to win the doubles point being up 7-4 at No. 3, and then had chances in most of the singles matches despite losing a lot of tight first sets. Going into the next few weeks we are going to have to improve our practice and match intensity if we want to beat good teams. Playing good teams close is no longer acceptable. We must now play to win. I have no doubt this team will work hard these next few days. I think this match will make us better."

Michigan State plays its last non-conference match of the season on Wednesday, March 12 in East Lansing, as it hosts Eastern Michigan at 4 p.m.

COMPLETE RESULTS
No. 55 Marshall 6, Michigan State 1
3/8/2008 at Huntington, W.Va.

Singles
1. No. 107 Kellie Schmitt (MAR) def. Christine Bader (MSU-W) 6-2, 7-5
2. Jeanne Schwartz (MAR) def. Manon Noe (MSU-W) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
3. Karolina Soor (MAR) def. Stephanie Kebler (MSU-W) 6-4, 6-3
4. Isabell Raich (MAR) def. Lindsey Lonergan (MSU-W) 6-3, 2-6, 6-1
5. Ana Milosavljevic (MSU-W) def. Thaddea Lock (MAR) 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
6. Jessica Keener (MAR) def. Ally Wickman (MSU-W) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)

Doubles
1. No. 16 Kellie Schmitt/Karolina Soor (MAR) def. Christine Bader/Whitney Wilson (MSU-W) 8-4
2. Ana Milosavljevic/Manon Noe (MSU-W) def. Thaddea Lock/Isabell Raich (MAR) 8-6
3. Yulia Kashelkina/Jessica Keener (MAR) def. Lindsey Lonergan/Stephanie Kebler (MSU-W) 9-7

Match Notes
Michigan State 7-5
Marshall 11-3; National ranking No. 55