Women's Tennis Controls Bethune-Cookman in 6-1 Win
4/3/2013 10:07:00 PM | Women's Tennis
VIDEO: Highlights and interview with Coach Amy Bonner
STATESBORO, Ga. -- Georgia Southern Women's Tennis put on a show for the USTA Campus Kid's Day visitors in their last non-conference match of the season on Wednesday afternoon at the Hanner Tennis Complex. The Eagles controlled Bethune-Cookman throughout doubles and singles play for a 6-1 win in a little over two and a half hours of play.
The Eagles (7-10, 2-5 SoCon) dominated doubles play against the Wildcats (13-8, 3-1 MEAC) before continuing the momentum in a convincing singles performance. All three doubles teams picked up wins while five out of six Eagles earned singles victories.
"We played good aggressive doubles and carried that on into singles. I was proud of the way the girls competed in their last non-conference match of the year and I'm looking forward to taking this momentum with us into our weekend of conference matches," said Head Coach Amy Bonner.
Senior Natalie Maffett was part of two big performances today. The veteran teamed up with rookie Stephanie Woods to earn the first doubles point with a dominating 8-0 victory over Chinatsu Kajiwara and Maria Dimitrova on court two before clinching the overall match at the No. 5 singles with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Dimitrova. The senior picked up her ninth singles victory of the year, tripling her amount from last year with three more matches to go.
Right after Maffett's and Woods victory, sophomore Jordana Klein and junior Caitlin Kitchen earned their fifth doubles win (8-2 against Ancia Ifill and Valentina Beresiarte) in only a little over two weeks of partnering together. Picking up the last doubles win were junior Paola Garrido and freshman Mary Phillips Smith on court one (8-4 against Sheree Peterson-Paul and Gaby Chinchilla).
Garrido continued an impressive singles winning streak at the No. 1 with her seventh singles win out of eight matches and ninth overall. The junior only broke Kajiwara once in the first set but routed her opponent 6-1 in the second.
Also picking up her ninth singles win of the season was Klein. The sophomore blew by Peterson-Paul, 6-2, 6-1, on court two, finishing second on the day.
Kitchen added a 6-1, 6-1 win over Victoria Galyaeva on court six and first off the court was Smith after a quick 6-3, 6-0 victory over Beresiarte at the No. 4.
The Eagles have now improved their overall record against the Wildcats to 4-0.
Next up, the Eagles return to conference play for their final two home matches of the season. The team meets Samford April 6 and Chattanooga on April 7 both at noon on Saturday and Sunday.
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Singles competition
1. Paola Garrido (GSUW) def. KAJIWARA,Chinatsu (BCUW) 6-4, 6-1
2. Jordana Klein (GSUW) def. PETERSON-PAUL,Sheree (BCUW) 6-2, 6-0
3. CHINCHILLA,Gaby (BCUW) def. Stephanie Woods (GSUW) 6-4, 1-6, 10-7
4. M. Phillips Smith (GSUW) def. BERESIARTE,Valentina (BCUW) 6-3, 6-0
5. Natalie Maffett (GSUW) def. DIMITROVA,Maria (BCUW) 6-1, 6-2
6. Caitlin Kitchen (GSUW) def. GALYAEVA,Victoria (BCUW) 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish: 4,2,5,6,1,3
Doubles competition
1. Paola Garrido/M. Phillips Smith (GSUW) def. PETERSON-PAUL,Sheree/CHINCHILLA,Gaby (BCUW) 8-4
2. Natalie Maffett/Stephanie Woods (GSUW) def. KAJIWARA,Chinatsu/DIMITROVA,Maria (BCUW) 8-0
3. Jordana Klein/Caitlin Kitchen (GSUW) def. IFILL,Ancia/BERESIARTE,Valentina (BCUW) 8-2
Order of finish: 2,3,1
