#14 Lady Vols Earn 4-2 Win at Mississippi State

Thursday, February 26

Starkville, Miss.

1 p.m. ET

University of Tennessee

Mississippi State

February 26, 2026 | Women's Tennis

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. – The No. 14 University of Tennessee women's tennis team (6-1, 2-0) took down the No. 37 Mississippi State Bulldogs (9-2, 0-2) in its first SEC road matchup Thursday.

"I'm really proud of our team today," Tennessee head coach Alison Ojeda said. "We knew Mississippi State was going to compete really hard and that's exactly what they did, for every single point. They made us better, which is what good competition should do."

The Lady Vols now hold a 42-11 advantage in the all-time series with the Bulldogs, including a 16-8 edge in Starkville. Tennessee has won each of the last six matchups.

In doubles play, the Lady Vols opened strong by taking early leads on all three courts. The early advantages wouldn't last, as the bulldogs fought back on courts one and three to rekindle momentum. UT's Francesca Mattioli and Vanesa Suarez, on court two, claimed a 6-3 set win. Despite an early 3-0 lead on court one, No. 21 Catherine Aulia and Leyla Britez Risso dropped their set to Mississippi State's Di Genova/Kempenaers-Pocz duo, 4-6. Tennessee's Maeve Thornton and Saray Yli-Piipari fell into 1-5 hole after a five-game run from the Bulldog pairing on court three and couldn't muster a comeback, handing the Bulldogs the doubles point.

In singles play, the Lady Vols quickly found their stride, taking five first sets. No. 25 Britez Risso would earn the first point in the dual for Tennessee, taking a quick 6-2, 6-1 win on court three over MSU's Carolina Troiano. The Lady Vol Senior now holds a 6-0 singles record to open the 2026 dual slate.

On court five, No. 76 Mattioli would give the Lady Vols their first lead of the day, defeating the Bulldogs' Noemie Oliveras, 6-3, 6-1. The win moved her to a 4-2 singles record this season, including her third win in a row.

On court one the newest Lady Vol, Katrina Scott, made her debut. In her first collegiate set, Scott sprinted to an impressive 6-0 tally and won the first two games of the second stanza. She would ultimately win the match 6-0, 6-3, to begin her collegiate career 1-0.

"Katrina did an outstanding job managing the challenges of a new format and a new environment, just like we knew she would," Ojeda said of her new protégé. "She isn't just a great tennis player, she's an outstanding teammate and it's taken us only a short couple of weeks to learn that. She's energetic on the court, she has a vibrant personality and fits right in with the team... It was very fun for us to watch Katrina with the team cheering each other on."

Now seeing a 1-3 disadvantage, the Bulldogs posted a comeback effort by winning three second sets, including a match win on court six by Athina Pitta. The Lady Vols entered third sets on courts two and four needing just one win to secure the dual.

"We know in a team setting that the goal is to get to four before the other team and in order to do that, our team has to understand that it's going to look different in multiple situations," Ojeda said of her team's response to the shift in momentum. "I'm a big believer that, if you can find the joy in competition, then when those key moments pop up, you'll actually perform at a higher level. Our team knows that and feels that same way, so when our back is against the wall, we often perform better."

Vanesa Suarez, playing on court two for the first time this season after playing on court one for each of Tennessee's first six contests, registered a decisive 6-1 first set before State's Chiara Di Genova battled to a 7-5 win of the second. Ultimately, the Lady Vol senior earned two breaks to go up 5-2, and then held serve to close a 6-2 final frame and seal the dual for the Lady Vols.

"I love competing for this team," Suarez beamed after the win. "When I lost the second set I was focused on my own emotions. Alison came and told me to look at my teammates every time after a point. That made it clear for me who I was playing for and I came back stronger."

The Lady Vols now head east to Tuscaloosa for a matchup with the undefeated No. 28 Alabama Crimson Tide. First serve is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.