Eagles Down Davidson to Reach SoCon Quarterfinals
4/19/2012 1:25:00 PM | Women's Tennis
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The Georgia Southern Women's Tennis team pulled through in a major way on a rainy Thursday afternoon when it defeated Davidson for the second time on the season in the opening round of the SoCon Championship. The Eagles advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament for the second-consecutive season and sixth in eight overall under Head Coach Amy Bonner.
"I am so proud of the way the team competed today," said Bonner. "We took charge in singles and played with confidence. The team is excited to compete in the quarterfinal round against UNCG."
The Eagles (6-14, 2-8 SoCon) began the match against the Wildcats with singles play due to the uncertain weather conditions. The Wildcats struck first blood when Brites Moniz-Soares defeated Allison Beeler (Alpharetta, Ga.) at No. 2 singles to open the match. However, Paola Garrido (Vigo, Spain) quickly leveled the match when she dominated Stephani Synn in a 6-1, 6-0 decision at No. 1 singles. The Eagles grabbed a 2-1 lead when hometown heroine Alexis Prickett (Charleston, S.C.) made quick work of Nisha Crouser at No. 4 singles with a 6-2, 6-0 victory. Caitlin Kitchen (Kennesaw, Ga.) put the Eagles up by a 3-1 score when she downed Katharine Dicconson at No. 3 singles, 6-2, 6-4. Junior veteran Natalie Maffett (Rome, Ga.) then put the Eagles in the winner's circle when she blanked Frizzi Bschorer in the second set to prevail by a 6-3, 6-0 tally. Senior Alessandra Dzuba (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) was even at 4-4 in the second set against Elise Held at No. 5 singles when Maffett clinched the match victory, so her match was stopped before completion. Doubles play was canceled as well.
The Eagles will face a tough test in their attempt to reach the SoCon semifinals with top-seeded UNC Greensboro in their path. The Eagles will look to avenge their 5-2 loss to the Spartans on March 25th when they take the courts on Friday at 8:30 a.m. at O. Perry Earle, Jr. Tennis Center and Donald C. Bunch Courts, home of The Citadel Bulldogs.
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