STATESBORO - Georgia Southern women's tennis picked up a 6-1 win over Presbyterian on Sunday to remain unbeaten at the Wallis Tennis Center this season.
The Eagles moved to 5-4 on the year with the victory, while Presbyterian falls to 2-9. Georgia Southern will be next in action on Tuesday, March 8, hosting Jacksonville State at 2 p.m. at Wallis.
Georgia Southern collected the doubles point as Nadja Meier and Silvia Martinez Jimenez defeated Jessica Leeman and Alexa Wilson, 6-2, at No. 1 doubles, while Hannah Daniel and Sophie Wagemaker downed Beth Lacey and Zeba Jamal, 6-3, at No. 3 doubles.
Rain showers postponed commencement of singles play for more than two hours. When singles play did begin, the Eagles won four of six first sets, then took a 2-0 lead on Martinez Jimenez' 6-1, 6-4 win over Leeman at No. 2 singles. Presbyterian claimed a win at No. 6 singles, but the Eagles clinched the match on a straight-set win by Sonja Keranen at No. 5 singles and a come-from-behind 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 win by Sophie Wagemaker at No. 3 singles over Claudia Sanchez.
Nadja Meier completed a three-set win at No. 1 singles, then Paula Hijos won a third-set 10-point tiebreaker to put a cap on the 6-1 win.
"What a day," Georgia Southern Head Women's Tennis Coach Sean McCaffrey said. "The weather did not cooperate very much, but the ladies found a way to not let it affect them that much. Dealing with the starting and stopping of the matches, along with a hard-fighting team like Presbyterian that does not give up many easy points made things a challenge.
"We showed great poise as a team and a good deal of stick-to-it-iveness as they came away with a hard-earned win. Days like today, and difficult scenarios like we experiened, can do quite a bit to help define a team. I'm very proud of the way the team responded to the difficult conditions. I was particularly proud of Sophie today. She has been putting so much effort into getting her game where she wants it, and today it paid off. Now we have a little bit of a break where we can recover and work on a number of things before we play next."
RESULTS
Singles
Nadja Meier (GS) def. Zeba Jamal (PC) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
Silvia Martinez Jimenez (GS) def. Jessica Leeman (PC) 6-1. 6-4
Sophie Wagemaker (GS) def. Claudia Sanchez (PC) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
Paula Hijos (GS) def. Beth Lacey (PC) 6-3, 4-6, (10-2)
Sonja Keranen (GS) def. Valentina De Sousa (PC) 6-2, 6-4
Alexa Wilson (PC) def. Elizabeth Goines (GS) 6-3, 6-3
Singles finish: 2, 6, 5, 3, 1, 4
Doubles
Silvia Martinez Jimenez/Nadja Meier (GS) def. Jessica Leeman/Alexa Wilson (PC) 6-2
Sonja Keranen/Elizabeth Goines (GS) led Lucianna Piedra/Claudia Sanchez (PC) 5-2, unfinished
Hannah Daniel/Sophie Wagemaker (GS) def. Beth Lacey/Zeba Jamal (PC) 6-3
Doubles finish: 1, 3
