Seniors Sweep Mercer, 7-0, in Last Home Match
3/31/2010 11:29:00 PM | Women's Tennis
STATESBORO, Ga. – Competing in their last home match as Georgia Southern Eagles, seniors Christine Caforio, Jessica Fuller and Kristi Kegerreis all defeated their Mercer opponents en route to a 7-0 sweep over the Bears. Georgia Southern improved to 10-7 on the season with the win Wednesday afternoon (March 31), while Mercer dropped to 5-8.
“It was good to give our seniors a win today in their last home match,” said head coach Amy Bonner. “We're all extremely proud of their accomplishments during the past four years and it was nice to see them get a win this afternoon.”
Two seniors jumpstarted the afternoon with a win in doubles action. Caforio (Acworth, Ga.) and Kegerreis (Fairfax, Va.) downed Sarah Hanna and Stephanie Cohen, 8-4, at No. 3 to put GS with the early doubles lead. Ali Beavers (Kingsport, Tenn.) and Natalie Maffett (Rome, Ga.) sealed the doubles point with an 8-6 decision over Jennifer Lada and Amalia Bugge at the top seed. The Florida tandem of Ashley Hungerford (Clearwater, Fla.) and Melanie Rolle (Gainesville, Fla.) completed the doubles sweep using a tiebreak win, 9-8 (8), at the two seed.
Mercer looked on pace to make a run in singles competition, grabbing three first sets, but the Eagles proved victorious, winning all three. Again two seniors immediately cushioned the Eagles' lead. Senior Jessica Fuller (Cartersville, Ga.) finished first at No. 6 putting Georgia Southern in front, 2-0. Fuller crushed Hanna, 6-1, 6-1, in her last home singles match before fellow classmate Kegerreis down Priscilla Dias, 6-3, 6-0, at No. 4.
On the brink of victory, Maffett would clinch the match at the three seed. Maffett suffered a first set loss, 6-3, to Bugge, but would draw even with a second set win, 6-1. The freshman took a 3-2 lead after her first of three breaks over Bugee in the final set. After holding serve to go up 5-2, Maffett created a chance to break her opponent for the match. Receiving at 5-2, Maffett quickly took a 0-30 advantage. Bugge showed a sliver of hope, bringing the game to 15-30. But two consecutive unforced errors from the Bear allowed Maffett to close out the match and clinch the win with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 triumph at No. 3.
With the match already decided, Georgia Southern added another three singles victories to complete the 7-0 sweep. Hungerford defeated Cohen at the five seed, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, before Rolle finished off a straight-set win, 7-6 (7), 6-1 over Anna Wieslander at No. 2. Beavers, at the top seed, rounded out match play, downing Lada in three sets. Lada took the first, 6-4, but Beavers battled back taking the final two for the win, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Georgia Southern closed out its home season and finishes 2010 with three road matches. The Eagles travel to Birmingham, Ala. to take on Southern Conference foe Samford first on Saturday, April 10. First serve is slated for 11 a.m.
Georgia Southern 7, Mercer 0
Records: GSU 10-7, Mercer 5-8
Doubles:
1. Ali Beavers/Natalie Maffet (GSU) d. Jennifer Lada/Amalia Bugge (MER) 8-6*
2. Ashley Hungerford/Melanie Rolle (GSU) d. Priscilla Dias/Anna Wieslander (MER) 9-8 (8)
3. Kristi Kegerreis/Christine Caforio (GSU) d. Sarah Hanna/Stephanie Cohen (MER) 8-4
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles:
1. Ali Beavers (GSU) d. Jennifer Lada (MER) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
2. Melanie Rolle (GSU) d. Anna Wieslander (MER) 7-6 (7), 6-1
3. Natalie Maffett (GSU) d. Amalia Bugge (MER) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2*
4. Kristi Kegerreis (GSU) d. Priscilla Dias (MER) 6-3, 6-0
5. Ashley Hungerford (GSU) d. Stephanie Cohen (MER) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
6. Jessica Fuller (GSU) d. Sarah Hanna (MER) 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish: 6, 4, 3, 5, 2, 1
*Clinched the match
“It was good to give our seniors a win today in their last home match,” said head coach Amy Bonner. “We're all extremely proud of their accomplishments during the past four years and it was nice to see them get a win this afternoon.”
Two seniors jumpstarted the afternoon with a win in doubles action. Caforio (Acworth, Ga.) and Kegerreis (Fairfax, Va.) downed Sarah Hanna and Stephanie Cohen, 8-4, at No. 3 to put GS with the early doubles lead. Ali Beavers (Kingsport, Tenn.) and Natalie Maffett (Rome, Ga.) sealed the doubles point with an 8-6 decision over Jennifer Lada and Amalia Bugge at the top seed. The Florida tandem of Ashley Hungerford (Clearwater, Fla.) and Melanie Rolle (Gainesville, Fla.) completed the doubles sweep using a tiebreak win, 9-8 (8), at the two seed.
Mercer looked on pace to make a run in singles competition, grabbing three first sets, but the Eagles proved victorious, winning all three. Again two seniors immediately cushioned the Eagles' lead. Senior Jessica Fuller (Cartersville, Ga.) finished first at No. 6 putting Georgia Southern in front, 2-0. Fuller crushed Hanna, 6-1, 6-1, in her last home singles match before fellow classmate Kegerreis down Priscilla Dias, 6-3, 6-0, at No. 4.
On the brink of victory, Maffett would clinch the match at the three seed. Maffett suffered a first set loss, 6-3, to Bugge, but would draw even with a second set win, 6-1. The freshman took a 3-2 lead after her first of three breaks over Bugee in the final set. After holding serve to go up 5-2, Maffett created a chance to break her opponent for the match. Receiving at 5-2, Maffett quickly took a 0-30 advantage. Bugge showed a sliver of hope, bringing the game to 15-30. But two consecutive unforced errors from the Bear allowed Maffett to close out the match and clinch the win with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 triumph at No. 3.
With the match already decided, Georgia Southern added another three singles victories to complete the 7-0 sweep. Hungerford defeated Cohen at the five seed, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, before Rolle finished off a straight-set win, 7-6 (7), 6-1 over Anna Wieslander at No. 2. Beavers, at the top seed, rounded out match play, downing Lada in three sets. Lada took the first, 6-4, but Beavers battled back taking the final two for the win, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Georgia Southern closed out its home season and finishes 2010 with three road matches. The Eagles travel to Birmingham, Ala. to take on Southern Conference foe Samford first on Saturday, April 10. First serve is slated for 11 a.m.
Georgia Southern 7, Mercer 0
Records: GSU 10-7, Mercer 5-8
Doubles:
1. Ali Beavers/Natalie Maffet (GSU) d. Jennifer Lada/Amalia Bugge (MER) 8-6*
2. Ashley Hungerford/Melanie Rolle (GSU) d. Priscilla Dias/Anna Wieslander (MER) 9-8 (8)
3. Kristi Kegerreis/Christine Caforio (GSU) d. Sarah Hanna/Stephanie Cohen (MER) 8-4
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles:
1. Ali Beavers (GSU) d. Jennifer Lada (MER) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
2. Melanie Rolle (GSU) d. Anna Wieslander (MER) 7-6 (7), 6-1
3. Natalie Maffett (GSU) d. Amalia Bugge (MER) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2*
4. Kristi Kegerreis (GSU) d. Priscilla Dias (MER) 6-3, 6-0
5. Ashley Hungerford (GSU) d. Stephanie Cohen (MER) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
6. Jessica Fuller (GSU) d. Sarah Hanna (MER) 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish: 6, 4, 3, 5, 2, 1
*Clinched the match
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