Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Friday, February 14
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
2 PM
Middle Tennessee
3
vs
4
Cincinnati
Lady Raiders suffer a setback against Cincinnati
2/14/2020 5:39:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Raiders drop their fourth-straight
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee women's tennis dropped a hard-fought match to Cincinnati Friday at the Adams Tennis Complex.
The Bearcats swiftly commanded the lead over the Blue Raiders, collecting the doubles point over Middle Tennessee.
Noelle Mauro and Muskan Gupta tied doubles up with a tight 7-6 victory, but UC clinched in tiebreaker over Marta Peris Herrero and Lidia Burrows, 7-6 (6).
Ready to earn a comeback, the Blue Raiders eagerly entered singles play.
Middle Tennessee quickly took the lead to 2-1 after conquering a victory over Caroline Morton, 6-2, 6-3 by Lee Barnard followed by senior Lidia Burrows topping Cincinnati's Alexia Coutino, 6-2, 6-3.
The response for the Bearcats, No. 6 singles Maria Santilli defeated Noelle Mauro, 6-1 in the first set followed by taking the second set over Mauro in the set tiebreaker, 7-6 (5) tying the score up at 2-2.
Cincinnati continued, Ioana Guna took the lead with a three set battle taking down junior Zani Barnard 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
After winning the first set by Bearcat, Kelli Niehaus, freshman Muskan Gupta fought back forcing a deciding third set with a 6-4 victory. Niehaus took the lead to earn a 6-2 win over Gupta, clinching the match for the Bearcats, 4-2.
Both coaches decided to play it out. Falling in the first set 6-4, Marta Peris Herrero responded with a tight 7-6 win in the second set and earned the Raidrs third win with a 10-8 victory.
The Blue Raiders are back in action at 10 a.m. on Sunday for the #GreenGame against ETSU at the Adams Tennis Complex. Admission to the match is free.
Cincinnati 4, Middle Tennessee 3
Singles competition
1. GUNA, Ioana (CIN) def. Zani Barnard (MT) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
2. Lee Barnard (MT) def. MORTON, Caroline (CIN) 6-2, 6-3
3. Lidia Burrows (MT) def. COUTINO, Alexia (CIN) 6-2, 6-3
4. Marta Peris Herrero (MT) def. MICELI, Emma (CIN) 4-6, 7-6, 10-8
5. NIEHAUS, Kelli (CIN) def. Muskan Gupta (MT) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
6. SANTILLI, Maria (CIN) def. Noelle Mauro (MT) 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)
Doubles competition
1. GUNA, Ioana/MORTON, Caroline (CIN) def. Marta Peris Herrero/Lidia Burrows (MT) 7-6 (8-6)
2. MICELI, Emma/COUTINO, Alexia (CIN) def. Zani Barnard/Lee Barnard (MT) 6-3
3. Muskan Gupta/Noelle Mauro (MT) def. NIEHAUS, Kelli/PHILP, Anna (CIN) 7-6 (7-4)
Match Notes:
Cincinnati 6-2
Middle Tennessee 3-5
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,3,6,1,5,4)
The Bearcats swiftly commanded the lead over the Blue Raiders, collecting the doubles point over Middle Tennessee.
Noelle Mauro and Muskan Gupta tied doubles up with a tight 7-6 victory, but UC clinched in tiebreaker over Marta Peris Herrero and Lidia Burrows, 7-6 (6).
Ready to earn a comeback, the Blue Raiders eagerly entered singles play.
Middle Tennessee quickly took the lead to 2-1 after conquering a victory over Caroline Morton, 6-2, 6-3 by Lee Barnard followed by senior Lidia Burrows topping Cincinnati's Alexia Coutino, 6-2, 6-3.
The response for the Bearcats, No. 6 singles Maria Santilli defeated Noelle Mauro, 6-1 in the first set followed by taking the second set over Mauro in the set tiebreaker, 7-6 (5) tying the score up at 2-2.
Cincinnati continued, Ioana Guna took the lead with a three set battle taking down junior Zani Barnard 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
After winning the first set by Bearcat, Kelli Niehaus, freshman Muskan Gupta fought back forcing a deciding third set with a 6-4 victory. Niehaus took the lead to earn a 6-2 win over Gupta, clinching the match for the Bearcats, 4-2.
Both coaches decided to play it out. Falling in the first set 6-4, Marta Peris Herrero responded with a tight 7-6 win in the second set and earned the Raidrs third win with a 10-8 victory.
The Blue Raiders are back in action at 10 a.m. on Sunday for the #GreenGame against ETSU at the Adams Tennis Complex. Admission to the match is free.
Cincinnati 4, Middle Tennessee 3
Singles competition
1. GUNA, Ioana (CIN) def. Zani Barnard (MT) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
2. Lee Barnard (MT) def. MORTON, Caroline (CIN) 6-2, 6-3
3. Lidia Burrows (MT) def. COUTINO, Alexia (CIN) 6-2, 6-3
4. Marta Peris Herrero (MT) def. MICELI, Emma (CIN) 4-6, 7-6, 10-8
5. NIEHAUS, Kelli (CIN) def. Muskan Gupta (MT) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
6. SANTILLI, Maria (CIN) def. Noelle Mauro (MT) 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)
Doubles competition
1. GUNA, Ioana/MORTON, Caroline (CIN) def. Marta Peris Herrero/Lidia Burrows (MT) 7-6 (8-6)
2. MICELI, Emma/COUTINO, Alexia (CIN) def. Zani Barnard/Lee Barnard (MT) 6-3
3. Muskan Gupta/Noelle Mauro (MT) def. NIEHAUS, Kelli/PHILP, Anna (CIN) 7-6 (7-4)
Match Notes:
Cincinnati 6-2
Middle Tennessee 3-5
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,3,6,1,5,4)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3,1
#1 Singles Match
123
GUNA, Ioana / 0 [CIN]
266
622
#2 Singles Match
12
MORTON, Caroline / 0 [CIN]
23
66
#3 Singles Match
12
COUTINO, Alexia / 0 [CIN]
23
66
#4 Singles Match
123
MICELI, Emma / 0 [CIN]
668
4710
#5 Singles Match
123
NIEHAUS, Kelli / 0 [CIN]
646
362
#6 Singles Match
12
SANTILLI, Maria / 0 [CIN]
67
16
Order of Finish:
2,3,6,1,5,4
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
MTSU Tennis Pro-Am 9/6/25
Tuesday, September 09
Facility tour – Stephen and Denise Smith Student-Athlete Performance Center
Wednesday, July 30
Spring Sports Show hosted by The Boulevard – April 14, 2025: Women’s Tennis and Men’s Tennis
Monday, April 14
MTSU Women's Tennis vs WKU Recap on 04/08/25
Thursday, April 10
