Kansas State University Athletics
Saturday, January 25
Durham, North Carolina
1:00 PM
Kansas State University
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Duke
Wildcats Drop First Match in ITA Kickoff Weekend to No. 5 Duke
Jan 25, 2020 | Tennis
DURHAM, N.C. – Taking on the fifth-ranked team in the country, the Kansas State women's tennis team attempted to steal away a crucial doubles point early on but fell short in their efforts in both doubles and singles play in a 4-0 loss to Duke at the Sheffield Tennis Center on Saturday.
Heading right into the pivotal point of the match, the Wildcats duo consisting of Ines Mesquita and Karine-Marion Job came back in the No. 3 doubles match to tie the set score, 6-6, after trailing for parts of the set. The pairing of Mesquita and Job, along with Duke's Meible Chi and Hannah Zhao, entered a tiebreaker for a winner-take-all moment in doubles play during the set. However, the Blue Devils persevered in the tiebreaker, resulting in a 1-0 deficit for K-State before the beginning of singles play.
K-State surrendered the first set in doubles play from the No. 1 spot as Duke's Kelly Chen and Chloe Beck faced off with K-State juniors Anna Turco and Margot Decker. The Blue Devil duo knocked off the No. 1 doubles pairing for K-State at a set score of 6-1.
The Wildcat junior tandem of Maria Linares and Lilla Barzo got even in the No. 2 spot, giving K-State a chance down the line to clinch the doubles point as they defeated Duke's Margaryta Bilokin and Yasmine Monsouri in the set with a 6-2 victory.
Attempting to bring the tide back in their favor during the singles portion of the event, K-State could not overcome the highly touted singles lineup from Duke as Decker, Maffei and Mesquita eventually fell in their matchups with ranked opponents.
"I'm really proud of this group," said Head Coach Jordan Smith. "They battled so hard today. We didn't let a name or a number get the best of us today. We were right there in doubles before losing the deciding doubles match in a tiebreaker. We had match points to take a 1-0 lead, shook it off and came out strong in singles. A lot of credit goes to the Duke team for their solid play."
Decker went head-to-head with Duke's Bilokin, who came into the match as the No. 67 player in the country. Bilokin ran past Decker in two sets, coming away with a 6-2, 6-4 win in the No. 3 hole.
Moving down the lineup, Maffei could not overcome the Blue Devils' Chi in the No. 4 slot, resulting in a 6-2, 6-1 loss. Chi currently holds the No. 77 ranking from the ITA in singles play.
The closing point of the match came from the No. 5 position as Mesquita and Beck, the No. 25 player in the nation, squared off. Beck sealed the victory for Duke in a two-set win, 6-1, 6-1.
With the 4-0 defeat, Linares, Turco and sophomore Ioana Gheorghita were unable to complete their matches in the No. 1, 2 and 6 spots, respectively.
"It was a tough first loss of the season," Smith said. "However, we have an opportunity to bounce back and play a good team in Mississippi State tomorrow morning. I believe we can do well if we continue the way we're playing."
The Wildcats enter the consolation portion of the tournament where they will face Mississippi State at 10 a.m. (CT) on Sunday inside the Sheffield Tennis Center.
ITA Kickoff Weekend
January 25, 2020
Sheffield Tennis Center/Durham, N.C.
Doubles Play
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
No. 1. Chen/Beck (DU) def. #54 Turco/Decker (KSU) 6-1
No. 2. Linares/Barzo (KSU) def. Bilokin/Mansouri (DU) 6-2
No. 3. Chi/Zhao (DU) def. Job/Mesquita (KSU) 7-6 (7-2)
Singles Play:
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 3
No. 1. #10 Kelly Chen (DU) vs. Maria Linares (KSU) 6-3, 5-4, unfinished
No. 2. Yasmine Mansouri (DU) vs. Anna Turco (KSU) 4-6, 5-3, unfinished
No. 3. #67 Margaryta Bilokin (DU) def. Margot Decker (KSU) 6-2, 6-4
No. 4. #77 Meible Chi (DU) def. Rosanna Maffei (KSU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 5. #25 Chloe Beck (DU) def. Ines Mesquita (KSU) 6-1, 6-1
No. 6. Summer Dvorak (DU) vs. Ioana Gheorghita (KSU) 7-5, 4-1, unfinished
For the latest on K-State tennis follow @kstatesports and @KStateTEN on Twitter or Kansas State Tennis on Facebook.
Heading right into the pivotal point of the match, the Wildcats duo consisting of Ines Mesquita and Karine-Marion Job came back in the No. 3 doubles match to tie the set score, 6-6, after trailing for parts of the set. The pairing of Mesquita and Job, along with Duke's Meible Chi and Hannah Zhao, entered a tiebreaker for a winner-take-all moment in doubles play during the set. However, the Blue Devils persevered in the tiebreaker, resulting in a 1-0 deficit for K-State before the beginning of singles play.
K-State surrendered the first set in doubles play from the No. 1 spot as Duke's Kelly Chen and Chloe Beck faced off with K-State juniors Anna Turco and Margot Decker. The Blue Devil duo knocked off the No. 1 doubles pairing for K-State at a set score of 6-1.
The Wildcat junior tandem of Maria Linares and Lilla Barzo got even in the No. 2 spot, giving K-State a chance down the line to clinch the doubles point as they defeated Duke's Margaryta Bilokin and Yasmine Monsouri in the set with a 6-2 victory.
Attempting to bring the tide back in their favor during the singles portion of the event, K-State could not overcome the highly touted singles lineup from Duke as Decker, Maffei and Mesquita eventually fell in their matchups with ranked opponents.
"I'm really proud of this group," said Head Coach Jordan Smith. "They battled so hard today. We didn't let a name or a number get the best of us today. We were right there in doubles before losing the deciding doubles match in a tiebreaker. We had match points to take a 1-0 lead, shook it off and came out strong in singles. A lot of credit goes to the Duke team for their solid play."
Decker went head-to-head with Duke's Bilokin, who came into the match as the No. 67 player in the country. Bilokin ran past Decker in two sets, coming away with a 6-2, 6-4 win in the No. 3 hole.
Moving down the lineup, Maffei could not overcome the Blue Devils' Chi in the No. 4 slot, resulting in a 6-2, 6-1 loss. Chi currently holds the No. 77 ranking from the ITA in singles play.
The closing point of the match came from the No. 5 position as Mesquita and Beck, the No. 25 player in the nation, squared off. Beck sealed the victory for Duke in a two-set win, 6-1, 6-1.
With the 4-0 defeat, Linares, Turco and sophomore Ioana Gheorghita were unable to complete their matches in the No. 1, 2 and 6 spots, respectively.
"It was a tough first loss of the season," Smith said. "However, we have an opportunity to bounce back and play a good team in Mississippi State tomorrow morning. I believe we can do well if we continue the way we're playing."
The Wildcats enter the consolation portion of the tournament where they will face Mississippi State at 10 a.m. (CT) on Sunday inside the Sheffield Tennis Center.
ITA Kickoff Weekend
January 25, 2020
Sheffield Tennis Center/Durham, N.C.
Doubles Play
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
No. 1. Chen/Beck (DU) def. #54 Turco/Decker (KSU) 6-1
No. 2. Linares/Barzo (KSU) def. Bilokin/Mansouri (DU) 6-2
No. 3. Chi/Zhao (DU) def. Job/Mesquita (KSU) 7-6 (7-2)
Singles Play:
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 3
No. 1. #10 Kelly Chen (DU) vs. Maria Linares (KSU) 6-3, 5-4, unfinished
No. 2. Yasmine Mansouri (DU) vs. Anna Turco (KSU) 4-6, 5-3, unfinished
No. 3. #67 Margaryta Bilokin (DU) def. Margot Decker (KSU) 6-2, 6-4
No. 4. #77 Meible Chi (DU) def. Rosanna Maffei (KSU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 5. #25 Chloe Beck (DU) def. Ines Mesquita (KSU) 6-1, 6-1
No. 6. Summer Dvorak (DU) vs. Ioana Gheorghita (KSU) 7-5, 4-1, unfinished
For the latest on K-State tennis follow @kstatesports and @KStateTEN on Twitter or Kansas State Tennis on Facebook.
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