Women's Tennis | 3/20/2018 4:39:00 PM

Cold Hands Get the Best of Alcorn against Arkansas State

VICKSBURG, Miss. – On a chilly, windy afternoon Tuesday, the Alcorn State University women's tennis program finished on the short end of a 4-0 decision against Arkansas State at Halls Ferry Road Courts.
 
The Red Wolves (4-9) jumped ahead early after winning all three doubles matches by the score of 6-1.
 
The Lady Braves (5-12, 4-4 SWAC) put up a fight in a couple of singles matches. At the No. 1 position, junior Bianca Birkenstock was down 6-1, 4-0 when she rallied to win four consecutive games in the second set to tie it 4-4. With the momentum on her side, Arkansas State clinched the overall match and play was halted.
 
At No. 4 singles, sophomore Anastasia Vaganova dropped a hard-fought first set 6-4, but was leading 3-2 in the second when the match went unfinished. She remains on a four-match winning-streak.
 
Alcorn was without junior Marlene Maier due to a shoulder injury. Maier is 10-2 overall in singles, including 8-0 in conference and is riding a nine-match winning-streak.
 
The Red Wolves came in well-rested and played their first match in 12 days.
 
Tuesday marked the first-ever match between Alcorn and Arkansas State. The earliest recorded tennis competition at Alcorn was in 1956, while Arkansas State's first year was 1985.
 
The Alcorn men's team will be in action Thursday when it travels to Nicholls State for a 1:30 p.m. start. The Braves will also play matches at Lamar at 11 a.m. Saturday and at UL-Lafayette at 12 p.m. Sunday.
 
Women's Tennis
Arkansas State 4, Alcorn 0
Singles Competition
1. Bianca Birkenstock (ALCNW) vs. Shelby King (ASU) 1-6, 4-4, unfinished
2. Ammaarah Tim (ALCNW) vs. Anita Detlava (ASU) 4-6, 2-2, unfinished
3. Sabina Jeresic (ASU) def. Alessandra Maganuco (ALCNW) 6-2, 6-0
4. Anastasia Vaganova (ALCNW) vs. B. Masdevall Masip (ASU) 4-6, 3-2, unfinished
5. Shannon O'Brien (ASU) def. Veronika Pytlikova (ALCNW) 6-1, 6-0
6. Kirsty Venter (ASU) def. Klavdija Bukovec (ALCNW) 6-2, 6-2
 
Doubles Competition
1. Anita Detlava/B. Masdevall Masip (ASU) def. Bianca Birkenstock/Anastasia Vaganova (ALCNW) 6-1
2. Shelby King/Shannon O'Brien (ASU) def. Ammaarah Tim/Alessandra Maganuco (ALCNW) 6-1
3. Kirsty Venter/Sabina Jeresic (ASU) def. Veronika Pytlikova/Klavdija Bukovec (ALCNW) 6-1
 
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