Box Score WACO, Texas – The McNeese Cowgirl tennis squad opened up the 2020 spring season short-handed on Sunday morning, but put up a good fight before falling to Georgia State by a 6-1 score at the Baylor Hurd Tennis Center.
 
"Overall, it was a very good team effort. I was very pleased with doubles where we got a quick win on court 2 before getting in a dog fight on court 1," said second-year head coach Giorgia Pozzan.
 
The Cowgirls, playing with just five athletes, dropped the doubles point 2-1 due to not having a duo compete in the No. 3 slot.
 
The team of Matilde Mulatero and Sofia San Jose Moreno cruised to a 6-1 win in the No. 2 spot to pick up the early lead before GSU won the point in a hard-fought match against the Cowgirl team of Marija Mastilovic and Carlotta Romito.
 
"It's always tough to compete with only five people, but the team did not let that affect their intensity," said Pozzan. "During singles, we had a slow start and Georgia State did a really good job keeping us away. However, once we settled and started believing, the match was a lot closer than anyone thought."
 
Mulatero, a sophomore transfer from Marshall University, also picked up a win in the No. 4 singles slot, rallying from a first set defeat to defeat GSU's Angel Carney 1-6, 7-5, 10-7 and accounted for both of the Cowgirls' win on the day.
 
McNeese came close to winning the doubles point but fell just short after the team of Marija Mastilovic and Carlotta Romito dropped a 6-4 decision to GSU's Eva Chivu and Angel Carney in the No. 1 spot.
 
The Cowgirls will return to action on Monday morning when they take on Baylor.
 
"We need to continue working on the basics and on building an even stronger team chemistry."
 
They'll play at Louisiana Tech and against Grambling next Sunday, at Houston on Jan. 31 and at SMU on Feb. 1 before opening up their home slate on Feb. 9 against Tyler Junior College.
 
Doubles:
Eva Chivu/Angel Carney (GSU) def. Marija Mastilovic/Carlotta Romito (MCN) 6-4
Matilde Mulatero/Sofia San Jose Moreno (MCN) def. Andreea Stanescu/Alexia Alvarez (GSU) 6-1
Damira Muminovic/Aleksandra Stromova (GSU) won by default
 
Singles:
Eva Chivu (GSU) def. Marija Mastilovic (MCN) 6-0, 6-0
Damira Muminovic (GSU) def. Carlotta Romito (MCN) 7-5, 6-1
Aleksandra Stromova (GSU) def. Sofia San Jose Moreno (MCN) 6-3, 6-2
Matilde Mulatero (MCN) def. Angel Carney (GSU) 1-6, 7-5, 10-7
Andreea Stanescu (GSU) def. Hanna Blinouskaya (MCN) 6-1, 6-3
Rama Pop (GSU) won by default