PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. - The eighth-seeded Georgia Southern women's tennis team upended top-seeded and regular season champion Appalachian State, 4-3, in the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Women's Tennis Championship Quarterfinals on Thursday at the Peachtree City Tennis Center.

It was the second straight year in which the Eagles (13-12) won a first-round matchup in the Sun Belt quarterfinals as Georgia Southern took down Louisiana in the 2018 tournament. The semifinal matchup will pit the Eagles against fourth-seeded UT Arlington on Friday morning at 9 a.m. in the indoor facility at Peachtree City due to anticipated weather.

"Today was a big day for our women's tennis program, not just because an #8 seed beat the #1 seed," Georgia Southern Head Coach Sean McCaffrey said. "We knew going in that we could win the match. But today was big because the ladies battled so hard and believed in themselves, and followed through with the plan we had for App State. We lost a tight match to them indoors a couple of weeks ago and we all knew we could hang with them outside. We believed we could do it. 

"Dropping the doubles point was particularly difficult," McCaffrey said. "And then losing four of the first six singles sets would have most teams discouraged. But the Eagles dug extremely deep and brought their tennis to a new level. When you can raise the level of your game in the crucial moments, it says a lot about the heart the team has. When one can raise the level of their game, when facing elimination, it speaks volumes to how much they love their team, Georgia Southern University, and the desire to win for Eagle Nation!"

Appalachian State took the doubles point, then won in straight sets at No. 2 singles to build a 2-0 lead. Paula Boixader got the Eagles on the board with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Maria Jose' Zacarias at No. 3 singles. Elizaebth Goines then tied up the match at 2-2 with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Heidi Swope at No. 6 singles.

The Mountaineers were one point away from clinching after a win at No. 1 singles, but the Eagles clinched the match with a pair of three-set wins. Luisa Hrda downed Jeannez Daniel, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4) at No. 4 singles, then Mila Hartig clinched the upset win with a 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1 win at No. 5 singles.

Georgia Southern 4, Appalachian State 3 

Singles competition 
1. Sevo, Teodora (APP) def. Arianne de Winter (GS) 6-4, 6-1 
2. Earnhardt, Kate (APP) def. Emilia Bujan (GS) 6-2, 6-3 
3. Paula Boixader (GS) def. Zacarias, María José (APP) 6-3, 6-1 
4. Luisa Hrda (GS) def. Daniel, Jeannez (APP) 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (6-4) 
5. Mila Hartig (GS) def. Morse, Rebecca (APP) 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 
6. Elizabeth Goines (GS) def. Swope, Heidi (APP) 6-4, 6-4 

Doubles competition 
1. Zacarias, María José/Swope, Heidi (APP) def. de Winter/Bujan (GS) 6-2 
2. Boixader/Hrda (GS) def. Anglesjo, Sandra/Sevo, Teodora (APP) 6-3 
3. Daniel, Jeannez/Morse, Rebecca (APP) def. Charlotte van Diemen/Lindsay Truscott (GS) 7-5 

Match Notes: Georgia Southern 13-12, 4-6 Sun Belt 
Appalachian State 15-6, 9-1 Sun Belt 
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (2,3,6,1,4,5) 
2019 Sun Belt Women's Tennis Championship - Match 4