Southern Miss Defeats Tulane 4-3 in Home Finale Tennis Match

The University of Southern Mississippi women’s tennis team achieved a historic milestone on April 7, 2026, by defeating Tulane 4-3 at the USM Tennis Complex. This victory marks the first win for the Southern Miss program over the Green Wave, snapping a 0-10 all-time losing streak in the series.

The match served as the home finale for the Golden Eagles and coincided with Senior Day. The event also featured the final home appearance for Angelina Blinova, who was honored prior to the start of the match.

Match Breakdown: Doubles and Early Singles

Southern Miss established an early advantage by securing the doubles point. Kamornwan Kornsila and Pimmada Lim won the No. 3 doubles match with a 6-1 victory over Diana Badalyan and Leigh Van Zyl. Hannah Chambers and Miranda Xu contributed to the lead by defeating Natalia Perez and Micah Pierce 6-3 at No. 2 doubles.

Tulane managed to secure a 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles, but Southern Miss entered the singles portion of the competition with a 1-0 lead.

Tulane responded aggressively in the early stages of singles play to take a 2-1 lead. Micah Pierce defeated Kornsila 6-1, 6-3 at No. 5 singles, and Campbell Ricci beat Angelina Blinova 6-2, 6-2 on court one.

The Golden Eagles’ Rally

Southern Miss regained momentum through three decisive singles performances. Hannah Chambers leveled the match at 2-2 with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) win over Leigh Van Zyl at No. 3 singles.

Sakura Sudo then put Southern Miss back in the lead at No. 2 singles. Sudo defeated Summer Chandler in a three-set battle, finishing 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.

The match was clinched by Miranda Xu at No. 4 singles. After losing the first set, Xu rallied to defeat Natalia Perez 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, sealing the 4-3 team victory.

Team Standings and Context

With this result, Southern Miss improves its overall record to 8-7 and stands at 1-2 in Sun Belt Conference play. Tulane moves to a record of 9-11 and is 0-0 in the American Athletic Conference (AAC).

The victory adds to a season of individual achievements for the program. Sakura Sudo previously earned the first Sun Belt Player of the Week honor in the history of Southern Miss women’s tennis after clinching both a doubles point and a match-winning singles point in March.

Upcoming Schedule

Following the conclusion of their home schedule, the Golden Eagles are preparing for their final two matches of the regular season. The team is scheduled to travel to face UAB on April 10, 2026, followed by a match against Nicholls on April 12, 2026.