Spartans Stumble in New York as Columbia Hands Michigan State a 4-0 Defeat
In a tough road test in New York City, Michigan State women’s tennis ran into a red-hot Columbia squad that handed the Spartans a 4-0 loss on Saturday at the Philip and Cheryl Milstein Family Tennis Center. The defeat drops MSU to 5-2 on the season, while the Lions move to 5-2 with the win.
This one started with doubles, and while the Spartans showed flashes of fight, Columbia came out sharper and more aggressive from the first serve. At No. 3 doubles, the Lions’ Emily Baek and Sophia Wang got the better of MSU’s Nina Plihal and Issey Purser, taking the match 6-3. Shortly after, Columbia locked up the doubles point with another 6-3 win at No. 2, where Michelle Li and Amber Lin topped Amara Brahmbhatt and Oriana Parkins-Godwin.
That left the No. 1 doubles matchup unfinished, though it was shaping up to be a tight one. MSU’s Ellie Blackford and Matilde Morais, ranked No. 88 nationally, were trailing 4-3 when the match was called.
With the Lions already holding the early 1-0 edge, singles play didn’t get any easier for the Spartans.
Columbia struck first at No. 6 singles, where Purser fell to Amber Yin in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2. Then came a key matchup at the top of the lineup: MSU’s Brahmbhatt, ranked No. 116 in the country, faced off against Columbia’s Gayathri Krishnan at No.
- Despite some strong rallies from the Spartan sophomore, Krishnan controlled the tempo and took the match 6-2, 6-3.
The clincher came at No. 3 singles, where Emily Baek sealed the deal for Columbia with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Morais. With the match decided, the remaining singles contests were left unfinished.
It was a tough day all around for the Green & White, who couldn’t quite find their rhythm against a Columbia team that came out focused and fearless on their home court.
Now, the Spartans will look to regroup as they return to East Lansing. They'll be back in action on Friday, Feb. 20, hosting the Toledo Rockets at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center. After a challenging trip to the Big Apple, this upcoming home stand could be just what they need to reset and refocus as the season rolls on.