Bradenton, Fla. - The No. 49-ranked William and Mary women's tennis team dropped a nailbiter, 4-3, to Big Ten foe and No. 69-ranked Michigan State in the final match of the College's spring break trip to the Bollettieri Tennis Academy. After dropping the doubles point, the Tribe battled back with straight set wins at the No. 3 and No. 4 singles positions before the Spartans won two of three singles matches that went to three sets in claiming the team triumph. W&M fell to 7-7 on the year, while the Spartans improved to 9-3.

Senior Lauren Sabacinski and freshman Jeltje Loomans won at the No. 3 doubles position for the second time in as many matches to start things off for the Tribe in pairs competition. The Green and Gold twosome improved to 3-1 on the year with an 8-5 victory over Michaela Silesova and Valenina Rusakova. The Spartans claimed the initial point of the match though with a pair of 8-6 wins at the top two doubles posts.

Sophomores Marlen Mesgarzadeh and Anik Cepeda won in straight sets at the No. 3 and No. 4 singles  positions for the second straight match. Mesgarzadeh notched her fifth win of the season with an 6-4, 6-1 win over Marian Bohrer at No. 3, while Cepeda bumped her team-leading singles win total to 17 with a 6-0, 6-3 victory at the No. 4 slot.

The balance of the match came down a trio of three-setters at the No. 1, No. 5 and No. 6 singles spots. Freshman Marivick Mamiit notched the College's third team point with a come-from-behind three-set win at the No. 6 post. After dropping the first set, 6-2, to Dana Guentert, the Tribe rookie battled back to take the match with a wins in the second, 6-2, and third sets, 6-4. She won for the fourth time in her last five matches to improve to 7-6 on the year.

Michigan State though would claim wins at the other two spots to take the team triumph. Whitney Wilson held on for a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 over junior Katie Kargl at the No. 5 position, while Amy Barton outlast freshman Hope Johnson , 5-7, 6-4, 7-6, at the top singles spot.

The Tribe returns home for its first outdoor match of the season at the Millie West Tennis Facility on Tuesday, March 15. The College faces its second straight Big Ten foe in Minnesota at 3 p.m.

#69 Michigan State 4, #49 William and Mary 3
Singles
No. 1 - Amy Barton (MSU) def. Hope Johnson (W&M) - 5-7, 6-3, 7-6
No. 2 - Valentina Rusakova (MSU)def. Nina Vulovich (W&M) - 6-3, 7-5
No. 3 - Marlen Mesgarzadeh (W&M) def. Marian Bohrer (MSU) - 6-4, 6-1
No. 4 - Anik Cepeda (W&M) def. Michaela Silesova (MSU) - 6-0, 6-3
No. 5 - Whitney Wilson (MSU) def. Katie Kargl (W&M) - 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
No. 6 - Marivick Mamiit (W&M) def. Dana Guentert (MSU) - 2-6, 6-2, 6-4

Doubles
No. 1 - #21 Barton/Bohrer (MSU) def. Cepeda/Johnson (W&M) - 8-6
No. 2 - Wilson/Herzog (MSU) def. Mesgarzadeh/Kargl (W&M) - 8-6
No. 3 - Sabacinski/Loomans (W&M) def. Silesova/Rusakova (MSU) - 8-5