#14 Lady Vols to Take on Mississippi State and Alabama in first SEC Road Tilts

Thursday, February 26

Starkville, Miss.

1 p.m. ET

University of Tennessee

Mississippi State

#14 Lady Vols to Take on Mississippi State and Alabama in first SEC Road Tilts

February 25, 2026 | Women's Tennis

STARKVILLE, Miss. – The No. 14 University of Tennessee women's tennis team (5-1, 1-0) is set to continue the 2026 dual slate this weekend, as it prepares for its first two road matchups of the year. The Lady Vols first face the No. 37 Mississippi State Bulldogs (9-1, 0-1) in a Thursday afternoon matchup before heading east to meet the No. 28 Alabama Crimson Tide (9-0, 1-0) in Tuscaloosa.

"Our team is thrilled to hit the road against two tough SEC teams this weekend," Tennessee head coach Alison Ojeda said. "We know Mississippi State and Alabama will both compete hard and we look forward to the battle.

"On these trips, we make sure to share as many off-court experiences as we can together because it helps to create a bond within our squad that allows us to compete at another level for each other," Ojeda continued. "So while having some fun, we will make sure we give our all for Tennessee!"

The Lady Vols are coming off a conference-opening matchup with Kentucky. Tennessee took the 4-0 win by claiming the doubles point along with singles wins from Catherine Aulia, Leyla Britez Risso and Saray Yli-Piipari. Britez Risso's singles victory kept her undefeated in 2026, as she moved to 8-0 since the calendar flipped, including a 5-0 tally in dual competition.

Scouting Mississippi State
The Bulldogs enter Thursday's contest ranked No. 37 and owning a 9-1 record. Their lone loss occurred this past Sunday, as they fell to the Crimson Tide, 4-1. They currently boast one ranked entry in the No. 13-ranked doubles pairing of Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz and Gianna Oboniye. The Lady Vols own a 41-11 advantage in the all-time series with the Bulldogs, including a 15-8 ledger in Starkville.

Scouting Alabama
The Crimson Tide currently sports a 9-0 record this dual season and slot in as ITA's No. 28 team in the nation. It most recently defeated Mississippi State, 4-1, to open the conference slate. The team has one ranked singles player in No. 53 Kristina Paskauskas. The Lady Vols hold a 38-17 edge in the all-time series, including a 15-8 record in Tuscaloosa, and enter Saturday's matchup holding an active 12-match win streak.

Links and Information
First serve for Thursday's match at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre in Starkville is slated for 1 p.m. ET. Fans can follow along with live stats and view the action via live stream.

Saturday's matchup at the University of Alabama Tennis Stadium will begin at 2 p.m. ET. Fans can follow the action with live stats and watch via live stream.