Michigan State junior Matilde Morais serves the ball in her singles match against Western Michigan graduate Christine Gouws at the MSU Tennis Center on Feb. 2, 2025.
Michigan State University women's tennis has now improved its record to 10-4 with a win against Penn State with a final score of 4-2. With the win against Penn State, Michigan State has now tied last season's win total with 10.
MSU started slow, dropping the first doubles match 6-0 as freshman Ellie Blackford and senior Liisa Vehviläinen struggled against juniors Olivia Dorner and Makio Uchijima.
Junior Matilde Morais and freshman Amara Brahmbhatt responded with a 6-3 win, but MSU fell just short in the deciding doubles match, losing 7-6.
The singles matches told a different story. MSU clawed back from a 1-0 deficit.
Brahmbhatt and Vehviläinen dominated, winning 6-1, 6-3, and 6-3, 6-4, respectively.
"You got little freshmen out here, Mara, just like, destroying her opponent, which was awesome," head coach Kim Bruno said.
Junior Matilde Morais fell to freshman Patricia Grigoras, 6-3, 6-4.
The final two matches were tightly contested, with both sides trading points.
Oriana Parkins-Godwin dropped her first set 3-6 but dominated the next two, winning 6-1, 6-1.
"Oriana has been clutch for us," said Bruno. "She hasn't been able to play in a lot of matches this year, but when she is, she's been able to step up and get it done."
Hanna Tsitavets sealed the win for MSU, taking her match 7-5, 6-4.
"What an unbelievable team performance," Bruno said. "Like girls from every area stepping up, down the doubles point, able to, able to get it done. That's, I mean, that's what they've been doing all year, though."
MSU, now 10-4, will face No. 2 Ohio State on Sunday, March 16, at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
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