STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern Women's Tennis team (8-6, 2-3 SoCon) jumped out to an early lead Monday (March 21) after it won the doubles point, but fell after the back-and-forth battle to Elon, 4-3. It was the first time the Eagles have lost a match after winning the doubles point this season.

"We played strong doubles today, but we weren't able to use the momentum to put us on top in singles," Head Coach Amy Bonner said. "We fought hard, but it's always tough to lose a match as close as this. We will have to regroup and focus on the College of Charleston match next week."

Solid play by all three double pairings helped the Eagles gain a one-point advantage heading into singles play. At No. 3, the duo of Melanie Rolle (Gainesville, Fla.) and Natalie Maffet (Rome, Ga.) defeated Elon's Viviana Stavreva and Andrea Pont, 8-5. The No. 1 pair of Paola Garrido (Vigo, Spain) and Caitlin Kitchen (Kennesaw, Ga.) prevailed over Bryn Knoury and Frida Jansaker, 8-5, to clinch the doubles point for the fourth-straight match. Seniors Ali Beavers (Kingsport, Tenn.) and Ashley Hungerford (Clearwater, Fla.) battled Elon's Briana Berne and Jordan Johnston at the number-two slot trying for the sweep, the match ended in favor of the Phoenix, 8-7.

Both teams took turns leading the match throughout singles play. Alessandra Dzuba (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) gave Georgia Southern a 2-1 lead by beating Pont 6-2, 6-4 in straight sets at the number-six seed. Elon tied the match at the number-three spot and took the lead with the win on court five. Hungerford, down a set, won the second set to force a third set. Down 2-5, she battled back in the final set to make it 4-5 before yielding the match point to finish 4-6, 6-1, 4-6. A 3-2 Phoenix lead brought the top two players of each team's lineup forward to decide the match. Both Garrido and Beavers rallied for third-sets on their respective courts. At No. 1, Garrido won the second set 6-3, but lost the final set 6-1

With the outcome of the match decided, Beavers overpowered Elon's Knoury in the third set of No. 2 singles to take the match 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. The win marked Beavers' seventh-straight win and brings her overall record for the season to 11-2 at number-two singles.    

Georgia Southern has a full week off from competition before closing out the last four contests of its six-match homestand. The Eagles play host to College of Charleston (March 30), Chattanooga (April 2nd) and Samford (April 3rd), before finishing its home court play against No. 70 nationally ranked UNC Greensboro. 

Fans can follow Eagle Women's Tennis at GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/wtennis and receive short updates at facebook.com/GSAthletics or twitter.com/GSAthletics. Scores of matches are posted at twitter.com/GSScores.

Elon 4, Georgia Southern 3
March 21, 2011 at Statesboro, Ga. (Hanner Tennis Complex)

Singles competition

1. Jordan Johnston (ELON) def. Paola Garrido (GSU) 7-5, 3-6, 6-1
2. Ali Beavers (GSU) def. Bryn Khoury (ELON) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
3. Frida Jansaker (ELON) def. Melanie Rolle (GSU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Viviana Stavreva (ELON) def. Natalie Maffett (GSU) 6-2, 6-3
5. Briana Berne (ELON) def. Ashley Hungerford (GSU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
6. Alessandra Dzuba (GSU) def. Andrea Pont (ELON) 6-2, 6-4

Order of finish: 4,6,3,5,1,2

Doubles competition

1. Paola Garrido/Caitlin Kitchen (GSU) def. Bryn Khoury/Frida Jansaker (ELON) 8-2
2. Briana Berne/Jordan Johnston (ELON) def. Ali Beavers/Ashley Hungerford (GSU) 8-7 (7-5)
3. Natalie Maffett/Melanie Rolle (GSU) def. Viviana Stavreva/Andrea Pont (ELON) 8-5

Order of finish: 3,1,2