
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Women’s Tennis Earns Road Win at Michigan State
2/26/2024 12:52:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Columbia improves to 10-2 overall this season
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The 28th-ranked Columbia women's tennis team bounced back after Friday's loss at No. 2 Michigan to take a 4-2 win over No. 70 Michigan State on Sunday afternoon inside the MSU Tennis Center. The Lions improve to 10-2 overall this season.
Columbia took the doubles point with wins in the No. 2 and 3 spots to start the match with a 1-0 advantage. The duo of Winta Tewolde and Rachele Rimondini earned the first doubles win for the Lions with a 6-2 victory over Issey Purser and Ria Bhakta in the No. 3 doubles.
Sophia Wang and Anna Zhang were defeated by Ayshe Can and Nicole Conard in the top singles, 6-3 to even the score. Gayathri Krishnan and Sophia Strugnell clinched the doubles point for the Lions with a 6-3 win against Lissa Vehvilainen and Matilde Morais in the No. 2 doubles.
Michigan State evened the match score with a singles win in the No. 5 spot to start singles action as Purser defeated Tewolde, 6-0, 6-1.
Zhang put the Lions back in front with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Can in the No. 2 singles. Krishnan followed that with a 7-5, 6-1 win against Vehvilainen in the No. 3 spot to put the Lions one win away from clinching the dual win.
Bhakta posted Michigan State's second win of the match with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Natacha Schou in the No. 4 singles.
Julia Haynes used a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Matilde Morais in the top singles to clinch Columbia's 4-2 dual victory.
UP NEXT
Columbia returns to action on the road at Charlotte on Friday, March 8 for a 1 p.m. first serve. The Lions will also play Colorado State in Charlotte on March 9 at 1 p.m.
RESULTS
#28 Columbia 4, #70 Michigan State 2
Doubles
1. Ayshe Can/Nicole Conard (MSU) def. Sophia Wang/Anna Zhang (COL) 6-3
2. Gayathri Krishnan/Sophia Strugnell (COL) def. Liisa Vehvilainen/Matilde Morais (MSU) 6-3
3. Winta Tewolde/Rachele Rimondini (COL) def. Issey Purser/Ria Bhakta (MSU) 6-2
Singles
1. Julia Haynes (COL) def. Matilde Morais (MSU) 6-3, 7-5
2. Anna Zhang (COL) def. Ayshe Can (MSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Gayathri Krishnan (COL) def. Liisa Vehvilainen (MSU) 7-5, 6-1
4. Ria Bhakta (MSU) def. Natacha Schou (COL) 6-3, 6-4
5. Issey Purser (MSU) def. Winta Tewolde (COL) 6-0, 6-1
6. Natalie Stasny (MSU) vs. Salma Farhat (COL) 6-7 (4-7), 5-4, unfinished
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,2,3,4,1)
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Women's Tennis by following the Lions on X (@CULionsWTEN), Instagram (@culionswten) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
Columbia took the doubles point with wins in the No. 2 and 3 spots to start the match with a 1-0 advantage. The duo of Winta Tewolde and Rachele Rimondini earned the first doubles win for the Lions with a 6-2 victory over Issey Purser and Ria Bhakta in the No. 3 doubles.
Sophia Wang and Anna Zhang were defeated by Ayshe Can and Nicole Conard in the top singles, 6-3 to even the score. Gayathri Krishnan and Sophia Strugnell clinched the doubles point for the Lions with a 6-3 win against Lissa Vehvilainen and Matilde Morais in the No. 2 doubles.
Michigan State evened the match score with a singles win in the No. 5 spot to start singles action as Purser defeated Tewolde, 6-0, 6-1.
Zhang put the Lions back in front with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Can in the No. 2 singles. Krishnan followed that with a 7-5, 6-1 win against Vehvilainen in the No. 3 spot to put the Lions one win away from clinching the dual win.
Bhakta posted Michigan State's second win of the match with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Natacha Schou in the No. 4 singles.
Julia Haynes used a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Matilde Morais in the top singles to clinch Columbia's 4-2 dual victory.
UP NEXT
Columbia returns to action on the road at Charlotte on Friday, March 8 for a 1 p.m. first serve. The Lions will also play Colorado State in Charlotte on March 9 at 1 p.m.
RESULTS
#28 Columbia 4, #70 Michigan State 2
Doubles
1. Ayshe Can/Nicole Conard (MSU) def. Sophia Wang/Anna Zhang (COL) 6-3
2. Gayathri Krishnan/Sophia Strugnell (COL) def. Liisa Vehvilainen/Matilde Morais (MSU) 6-3
3. Winta Tewolde/Rachele Rimondini (COL) def. Issey Purser/Ria Bhakta (MSU) 6-2
Singles
1. Julia Haynes (COL) def. Matilde Morais (MSU) 6-3, 7-5
2. Anna Zhang (COL) def. Ayshe Can (MSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Gayathri Krishnan (COL) def. Liisa Vehvilainen (MSU) 7-5, 6-1
4. Ria Bhakta (MSU) def. Natacha Schou (COL) 6-3, 6-4
5. Issey Purser (MSU) def. Winta Tewolde (COL) 6-0, 6-1
6. Natalie Stasny (MSU) vs. Salma Farhat (COL) 6-7 (4-7), 5-4, unfinished
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,2,3,4,1)
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Women's Tennis by following the Lions on X (@CULionsWTEN), Instagram (@culionswten) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
Players Mentioned
Columbia Classics Shorts - Women's Tennis 2013 Ivy League Championship
Monday, April 12















