April 24, 2008

Results

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The No. 73 Michigan State women's tennis team fell to No. 63 Wisconsin, 4-2, in the first round of the Big Ten Championships on Thursday afternoon at the Schwartz Tennis Center. Michigan State fell behind early, as the Badgers dropped the Spartans at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles, taking the early 1-0 lead. MSU won the first two matches in singles competition, but Wisconsin rebounded with three quick victories, ending the Spartans' season.

The Badgers came out swinging from the start, taking two of three from Michigan State in doubles play. At No. 1, MSU's Christine Bader and Whitney Wilson fell to Elizabeth Carpenter and Chelsea Nusslock, 8-4, while Wisconsin's No. 3 Jessica Seyferth and Morgan Tuttle edged Stephanie Kebler and Christine Milliken, 8-6. At No. 2, MSU's Ana Milosavljevic and Manon Noe dominated their early matchup, blowing past UW's Katya Mirnova and Emese Kardhordo, 8-1.

In singles play the Spartans came back, taking two early matches. Stephanie Kebler ripped through Kardhordo at No. 2, 6-0, 6-0, while Milosavljevic downed Nusslock at No. 5, 6-4, 6-2.

The Badgers responded with three quick victories, however, handing the Spartans the first-round loss. Carpenter clipped Bader 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) at No. 1. Manon Noe made a comeback at No. 3 after dropping the first set, winning the second frame, 6-2. But Wisconsin's Seyferth regrouped in the third set, defeating the Spartan freshman, 6-0, 2-6, 6-0. At No. 4 Lindsey Lonergan looked on her way to the victory, winning the first set 6-2. But once again the Badgers put the ball in play when it counted most, as Mirnova pulled out the last two sets over Lonergan, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.