Raiders Split Florida Road Trip

Friday, March 18

Tampa, Fla.

11 a.m.

Middle Tennessee

Stetson

3/20/2016 8:17:00 PM | Women's Tennis

MT takes down Stetson, falls to USF

By: Matt Posey, @MTAthletics

TAMPA, Fla. – Middle Tennessee women's tennis controlled the doubles point, but only came away with one win this weekend.

"Our doubles has come a very long way," MT head coach Charlie Ramsay said. "If we do the things we are supposed to do, we are a tough team to beat in doubles right now."

The Blue Raiders started off the weekend on Friday by getting a win over Stetson by a score of 4-1. MT flexed its muscle in doubles action to start the match, as Brittany Huxley and Giulia Squadrin cruised to a 6-1 win at the top doubles spot. Costanza Magazzini and Luisa Zirilli followed that up with a 6-2 win at No. 3.

Once the Blue Raiders took the doubles point to go ahead in the match, they never looked back. Huxley worked fast at the No. 2 spot, winning her match 6-2, 6-0. Sarah Sediri battled through the first set but was impressive in the second to win the match at No. 6, 7-5, 6-2.

After Stetson got on the board with a win at the top spot in the lineup, Zirilli closed the door on the Hatters with a third set win at No. 3 to clinch the 4-1 victory.

Magazzini and Squadrin were unable to finish their match. They were both tied in their third sets.

The match against No. 41 Columbia was cancelled on Saturday due to rain.
MT fell on Sunday to USF by a score of 4-2. The Blue Raiders took the doubles point as Huxley and Squadrin opened up the match with a 6-3 win at No. 1. Shulzhanok and Sediri were able to clinch the first point of the match by winning 7-5 at No. 2.

USF got off to a hot start in singles, with wins at the No. 4 and No. 5 spots. Zirilli earned the second Blue Raider win with a score of 6-1, 7-6 (7-5). The Bulls closed out the match with two more singles victories.

"Both teams played at a high level today," Ramsay added. "We have to keep getting better and tougher in singles every day."

Next on the schedule for the Blue Raiders is a match at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center on Wednesday against Murray State at 2 p.m.

Stetson vs Middle Tennessee
3/18/2016 at Tampa, Fla.
Middle Tennessee 4, Stetson 1

Singles competition
1. Eveline Lepinay (SU) def. Darya Shulzhanok (MT) 6-3, 6-1
2. Brittany Huxley (MT) def. Arijana Korac (SU) 6-2, 6-0
3. Luisa Zirilli (MT) def. Isabella Fernandez (SU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
4. Costanza Magazzini (MT) vs. Maja Salibasic (SU) 6-0, 4-6, 3-3, unfinished
5. Giulia Squadrin (MT) vs. Carolina Meregalli (SU) 6-4, 4-6, 1-1, unfinished
6. Sarah Sediri (MT) def. Ashley Dean (SU) 7-5, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Brittany Huxley/Giulia Squadrin (MT) def. Isabella Fernandez/Arijana Korac (SU) 6-1
2. Darya Shulzhanok/Sarah Sediri (MT) vs. Eveline Lepinay/Maja Salibasic (SU) 3-4, unfinished
3. Costanza Magazzini/Luisa Zirilli (MT) def. Brittany Hill/Alexandra Lyubimova (SU) 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (2,6,1,3)
Mar 20, 2016 at Tampa, Fla.
USF 4, Middle Tennessee 2
Singles competition
1. Jessica Chaves (USF) def. Brittany Huxley (MT) 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3)
2. Vera Bessonova (USF) vs. Darya Shulzhanok (MT) 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 4-5, unfinished
3. Luisa Zirilli (MT) def. Ana Roman Dominguez (USF) 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Olga Martinez (USF) def. Costanza Magazzini (MT) 6-3, 6-0
5. Juliana Cardoso (USF) def. Giulia Squadrin (MT) 6-3, 6-0
6. Nicole Dzenga (USF) def. Alory Pereira (MT) 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (8-6)
Doubles competition
1. Brittany Huxley/Giulia Squadrin (MT) def. Vera Bessonova/Olga Martinez (USF) 6-3
2. Darya Shulzhanok/Sarah Sediri (MT) def. Juliana Cardoso/Jessica Chaves (USF) 7-5
3. Nicole Dzenga/Chloe Murphy (USF) def. Alory Pereira/Luisa Zirilli (MT) 6-3

Match Notes:
Middle Tennessee 8-7-1
USF 10-5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (5,4,3,6,1)
A-60