Lady Eagles Dispatch Kennesaw State, 4-3

KENNESAW, GA – The Georgia Southern women’s tennis team captured its first win of the season with a 4-3 defeat over Kennesaw State on Sunday (Jan. 25). The doubles point and three singles wins propelled the Lady Eagles to a 1-1 season opening road trip.

Georgia Southern took the early 1-0 advantage by securing the doubles point with victories from the one and two seeds, respectively. The Owls took the first doubles match at the three seed and found themselves in good standing to secure the doubles point, going ahead 3-0 at the one seed. But Kristi Kegerreis teamed up with Molly Maddox at the one position to battle Ayano Tanka and Mercedes Cobos, coming back from a 3-0 deficit to draw the match into a tiebreak. Kegerreis and Maddox edged the Owls, 7-2, in the tiebreak to win their match and even the doubles standing at 1-all. A win from Christine Caforio and Melanie Rolle at the two seed clinched the doubles point for the Lady Eagles. Caforio and Rolle easily rolled past Agatha Palider and Mackenzie Swindall in an 8-4 fashion.

The Owls quickly evened the playing field in singles action when Maddox was forced to retire at the three position, evening the score at 1-all. A win from Caforio at the six seed gave the Lady Eagles a 2-1 advantage, but the Owls answered with a victory at the one seed, thereby tying the match at 2-all. A convincing win from Rolle at the four position over Morgan Carney pushed the Eagles back on top and the match was quickly clinched by Georgia Southern as Ali Beavers thwarted Cobos at the two seed, 6-3, 6-3.

“It was a good start to the season even though we didn’t come away with a win on Saturday,” said head coach Amy Bonner. “But we were able to come together on Sunday and walk away with a win. It was nice for us to be on top of a 4-3 decision today.”

Georgia Southern returns to action with its home opener on Saturday, January 31 to take on North Florida. First serve is set for 1 p.m. at the Hanner Tennis Complex.

Georgia Southern 4, Kennesaw State 3

Doubles:
1. Kristi Kegerreis/Molly Maddox (GSU) d. Ayano Tanaka/Mercedes Cobos (KSU) 9-8 (7-2)
2. Christine Caforio/Melanie Rolle (GSU) d. Agatha Palider/Mackenzie Swindall (KSU) 8-4 *
3. Vera Shkundina/Alena Sergeychi k (KSU) d. Ali Beavers/Shea Huxtable (GSU) 8-5
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
*Clinched the doubles point

Singles:
1. Vera Shkundina (KSU) d. Kristi Kegerreis (GSU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Ali Beavers (GSU) d. Mercedes Cobos (KSU) 6-3, 6-3 *
3. Ayano Tanka (KSU) d. Molly Maddox (GSU) 1-0, retired
4. Melanie Rolle (GSU) d. Morgan Carney (KSU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Agatha Palider (KSU) d. Jessica Fuller (GSU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Christine Caforio (GSU) d. Mackenzie Swindall (KSU) 6-2, 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 6, 1, 4, 2, 5
* Clinched the match

Category: Women's Tennis

Published on Sunday, 25 January 2009 00:27