Mizzou dropped its second conference game of the season in a 7-0 loss to the No.10-ranked Texas Longhorns at the Mizzou Tennis Complex.
The Tigers saw some familiar faces on the Longhorns’ coaching staff. Bianca Turati, former Mizzou head coach, joined forces with Texas head coach Howard Joffe as the associate head coach, adding another storyline to this Southeastern Conference rivalry.
The Tigers’ record now stands at 1-19 against the Longhorns since 1997, as Mizzou now sits at 8-4 on the season.
The day started with doubles, as senior Andrea Artimedi and sophomore Gian Octa lost their match 6-1, followed by freshman Lara Quaglia and sophomore Zoe Lazar, who lost their match 6-3. Freshman Alex Ackman and sophomore Korina Roso’s match went unfinished as Texas took a 2-0 lead.
The Tigers put up more of a fight in singles, yet the results remained similar, with both Lazar and Roso in competitive matches, both ultimately ending 6-4. Similarly, Octa lost hers 6-3, 6-4.
Ackman managed to take her opponent to a 7th round tiebreaker, barely losing the set 7-5 before losing the second set 6-0. Artimedi ended up losing her match 6-2, 6-1.
The day ended with Quaglia losing her match 6-1, 6-2, resulting in the Longhorns sweeping the Tigers at home.
In the three high-major games the Tigers have played so far, they have yet to put up a real fight, losing 6-1 to Vanderbilt and getting swept by Wisconsin and Texas. Mizzou is going to have to make a rapid turnaround before they face No. 5-ranked Texas A&M Sunday, March 1, and then No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs the following week. The Tigers have a record of 2-31 against the A&M Aggies since 1978.
However, all experience is good experience, as they hope to learn from their recent losses going into this weekend’s match.
