AUBURN, Ala. – No. 68 Auburn proved to be too much for the Georgia Southern Women’s Tennis team as the Eagles fell 7-0 on Sunday afternoon at the Yarbrough Tennis Center in Auburn, Ala. The Eagles return from the weekend trip standing 1-2 in the young season. The Tigers improve to 2-1.
The Eagles fell into an early hole when they lost the doubles point. Freshman Mary Phillips Smith (Tallahassee, Fla.) saw her first collegiate doubles action, teaming up with junior Paola Garrido (Vigo, Spain) at the number one spot but fell 8-2 against Auburn’s Pleun Burgmans and Michala Kucharova. At number two the duo of Emily Flickinger and Jackie Kasler proved to be too strong for Eagle senior-freshman tandem Natalie Maffett (Rome, Ga.) and Stephanie Woods (John’s Creek, Ga.), beating them 8-2. Sophomores Alexis Prickett (Charleston, S.C.) and Jordana Klein (Alpharetta, Ga.) put up a good fight against Jen Pfeifler and Paulina Schipper on court three but eventually fell 8-4.
In singles action, Klein had the best look at earning the Eagles a point but ended up falling to Flickinger 7-5, 6-4 at the number two spot. On court three, Smith lost to Kasler 6-1, 6-2, finishing fifth. Woods started of strong in her first set but came up short in the end, falling 6-3, 6-0 on court number four against Ashley Kitchen.
Garrido and freshman Francisca Norregaard (Vedbaek, Denmark) both lost their matches 6-1, 6-1 on court one and six against Auburn’s Burgmans and Schippers. Maffett lost her singles match 6-1, 6-0 to Maria Cardenas Conti at the number five position.
The Eagles will look to come back next weekend at home when they host Kennesaw State on Saturday, Feb. 9 and Mercer on Sunday, Feb. 10. Both matches start at noon.
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its new “Eagles GATA” mobile app for Android and iOS.
Singles Results
1. Pleun Burgmans (AU) def. Paola Garrido (GSU) 6-1, 6-1
2. Emily Flickinger (AU) def. Jordana Klein (GSU) 7-5, 6-4
3. Jackie Kasler (AU) def. Mary Phillips Smith (GSU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Ashley Kitchen (AU) def. Stephanie Woods (GSU) 6-3, 6-0
5. Maria Cardenas Conti (AU) def. Natalie Maffett (GSU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Paulina Schippers (AU) def. Francisca Norregaard (GSU) 6-1, 6-1
Order of Finish: 5,1,6,4,3,2
Doubles Results
1. Pleun Burgmans/Michala Kucharova (AU) def. Mary Phillips Smith/Paola Garrido (GSU) 8-2
2. Emily Flickinger/Jackie Kasler (AU) def. Natalie Maffett/Stephanie Woods (GSU) 8-2
3. Jen Pfeifler/Paulina Schippers (AU) def. Alexis Prickett/Jordana Klein (GSU) 8-4
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
