Michigan State University Athletics
Friday, February 20
East Lansing, Mich.
5 PM
Michigan State University
4
vs
3
Toledo
Photo by: Rey Del Rio/MSU Athletic Communications
Spartans Ground Rockets In Dramatic 4-3 Win
2/20/2026 10:33:00 PM | Women's Tennis
MSU pushed to brink in battle with Toledo, but Morais clinches in marathon triumph.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State women's tennis senior Matilde Morais' three-set win in the deciding match clinched a thrilling, 4-3 Victory for MSU over Toledo on Friday evening at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
After pushing the first set to the brink and beyond, with Morais rallying from a 6-3 deficit in the tie-breaker for a 13-11 win to take the opening set, 7-6, Toledo's Neha Guru bounced back to take the second set, 6-4. That set up the winner-take-all third set, as the other singles matches had ended by this time.
Morais pulled away for a 6-1 win to take the set and seal the match for the Spartans, sparking the celebration and getting swarmed by her teammates.
MSU improves to 6-2 with Friday's win, which was the Spartans' 20th victory over the Rockets in as many meetings, remaining unbeaten all-time against Toledo. With the loss, Toledo slides to 4-3 on the season. The Rockets remain in East Lansing to take on Dartmouth on Saturday.
Starting off with doubles, the Spartans made quick work of the Rockets, as redshirt-junior Oriana Parkins-Godwin and senior Issey Purser took down Toledo's No. 1 doubles duo of JJ Scholten/Neha Guru in a brisk, 6-1, match. At No. 3 doubles, a new Spartan tandem of sophomore Ellie Blackford and redshirt-junior Hanna Tsitavets, topped Toledo's Isabella Barretto and Jone Ibanez, 6-3. At No. 2 doubles, senior Matilde Morais and sophomore Nina Plihal went unfinished against UT's Gaby Rondon and Anastasia Akuginova, with the Spartans leading, 5-3.
Shifting to singles, sophomore Amara Brahmbhatt defeated Scholten, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 1 singles to give MSU a 2-0 lead, but it became a 2-1 match shortly after as Blackford had an injury retirement at No. 2 singles.
Plihal took down Iva Jankovaic of UT at No. 5 singles, 6-4, 6-3, but Tsitavets was topped by Toledo's Anastasia Akuginova at No. 4 singles, to make the team score, 3-2, in the Spartans' favor.
The score became 3-3 after Gaby Rondon of Toledo downed MSU's Parkins-Godwin, 2-6, 6-2, 2-6, setting up the Morais' dramatic finish at No. 3 singles.
Toledo returns to the courts of the MSU Indoor Tennis Center to take on Dartmouth on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 12 p.m.
Michigan State then wraps up the weekend against Dartmouth on Sunday, Feb. 22, also with a 12 p.m. start time.
Fans can stay up to date with Spartan women's tennis on Instagram, X and Facebook by following @msu_wtennis.
Tennis Match Results
Toledo vs Michigan State
2/20/2026 at East Lansing, Mich.
(MSU Indoor Tennis Center)
Michigan State 4, Toledo 3
Singles competition
1. Amara Brahmbhatt (MSU-W) def. JJ Scholten (Toledo) 6-1, 6-3
2. Isabella Barretto (Toledo) def. Ellie Blackford (MSU-W) 3-3, retired
3. Matilde Morais (MSU-W) def. Neha Guru (Toledo) 7-6 (13-11), 4-6, 6-1
4. Anastasia Akuginova (Toledo) def. Hanna Tsitavets (MSU-W) 7-5, 6-0
5. Nina Plihal (MSU-W) def. Iva Jankovic (Toledo) 6-4, 6-3
6. Gaby Rondon (Toledo) def. O. Parkins-Godwin (MSU-W) 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Oriana Parkins-Godwin/Issey Purser (MSU-W) def. JJ Scholten/Neha Guru (Toledo) 6-1
2. Matilde Morais/Nina Plihal (MSU-W) vs. Gaby Rondon/Anastasia Akuginova (Toledo) 5-3, unfinished
3. Ellie Blackford/Hanna Tsitavets (MSU-W) def. Isabella Barretto/Jone Ibanez (Toledo) 6-3
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (2,1,5,4,6,3)
After pushing the first set to the brink and beyond, with Morais rallying from a 6-3 deficit in the tie-breaker for a 13-11 win to take the opening set, 7-6, Toledo's Neha Guru bounced back to take the second set, 6-4. That set up the winner-take-all third set, as the other singles matches had ended by this time.
Morais pulled away for a 6-1 win to take the set and seal the match for the Spartans, sparking the celebration and getting swarmed by her teammates.
MSU improves to 6-2 with Friday's win, which was the Spartans' 20th victory over the Rockets in as many meetings, remaining unbeaten all-time against Toledo. With the loss, Toledo slides to 4-3 on the season. The Rockets remain in East Lansing to take on Dartmouth on Saturday.
Starting off with doubles, the Spartans made quick work of the Rockets, as redshirt-junior Oriana Parkins-Godwin and senior Issey Purser took down Toledo's No. 1 doubles duo of JJ Scholten/Neha Guru in a brisk, 6-1, match. At No. 3 doubles, a new Spartan tandem of sophomore Ellie Blackford and redshirt-junior Hanna Tsitavets, topped Toledo's Isabella Barretto and Jone Ibanez, 6-3. At No. 2 doubles, senior Matilde Morais and sophomore Nina Plihal went unfinished against UT's Gaby Rondon and Anastasia Akuginova, with the Spartans leading, 5-3.
Shifting to singles, sophomore Amara Brahmbhatt defeated Scholten, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 1 singles to give MSU a 2-0 lead, but it became a 2-1 match shortly after as Blackford had an injury retirement at No. 2 singles.
Plihal took down Iva Jankovaic of UT at No. 5 singles, 6-4, 6-3, but Tsitavets was topped by Toledo's Anastasia Akuginova at No. 4 singles, to make the team score, 3-2, in the Spartans' favor.
The score became 3-3 after Gaby Rondon of Toledo downed MSU's Parkins-Godwin, 2-6, 6-2, 2-6, setting up the Morais' dramatic finish at No. 3 singles.
Toledo returns to the courts of the MSU Indoor Tennis Center to take on Dartmouth on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 12 p.m.
Michigan State then wraps up the weekend against Dartmouth on Sunday, Feb. 22, also with a 12 p.m. start time.
Fans can stay up to date with Spartan women's tennis on Instagram, X and Facebook by following @msu_wtennis.
Tennis Match Results
Toledo vs Michigan State
2/20/2026 at East Lansing, Mich.
(MSU Indoor Tennis Center)
Michigan State 4, Toledo 3
Singles competition
1. Amara Brahmbhatt (MSU-W) def. JJ Scholten (Toledo) 6-1, 6-3
2. Isabella Barretto (Toledo) def. Ellie Blackford (MSU-W) 3-3, retired
3. Matilde Morais (MSU-W) def. Neha Guru (Toledo) 7-6 (13-11), 4-6, 6-1
4. Anastasia Akuginova (Toledo) def. Hanna Tsitavets (MSU-W) 7-5, 6-0
5. Nina Plihal (MSU-W) def. Iva Jankovic (Toledo) 6-4, 6-3
6. Gaby Rondon (Toledo) def. O. Parkins-Godwin (MSU-W) 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Oriana Parkins-Godwin/Issey Purser (MSU-W) def. JJ Scholten/Neha Guru (Toledo) 6-1
2. Matilde Morais/Nina Plihal (MSU-W) vs. Gaby Rondon/Anastasia Akuginova (Toledo) 5-3, unfinished
3. Ellie Blackford/Hanna Tsitavets (MSU-W) def. Isabella Barretto/Jone Ibanez (Toledo) 6-3
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (2,1,5,4,6,3)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3
#1 Singles Match
12
JJ Scholten / 0 [TOLEDO]
13
66
#2 Singles Match
12
Isabella Barretto / 0 [TOLEDO]
3WR
30
#3 Singles Match
123
Neha Guru / 0 [TOLEDO]
661
746
#4 Singles Match
12
Anastasia Akuginova / 0 [TOLEDO]
76
50
#5 Singles Match
12
Iva Jankovic / 0 [TOLEDO]
43
66
#6 Singles Match
123
Gaby Rondon / 0 [TOLEDO]
626
262
Order of Finish:
2,1,5,4,6,3
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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