MOBILE, Ala. - South Alabama women's tennis collected a 4-1 Sun Belt Conference victory over visiting Georgia Southern on Saturday morning in Mobile.
The Jaguars improved to 13-2 overall and 1-0 in the Sun Belt with the win. The Eagles fell to 6-6 overall and 0-2 in the league with the loss. Georgia Southern will wrap up its Alabama road swing by taking on Troy at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
The doubles point was tightly contested as the No. 1 doubles duo of Elizabeth Goines and Sonja Kernane led Luminita Tutunaru and Nikola Kohoutova, 5-3, before the South Alabama pair came back to claim a 7-5 win. Yu Fujioka and Lara van der Merwe won at No. 2 doubles over the Eagles' Silvia Martinez Jimenez and Paula Hijos, 6-3. Hannah Daniel and Sophie Wagemaker led, 6-5, ove rDelien Kleinhans and Otoha Aoki at No. 3 doubles when play was stopped.
In singles, the Eagles got a quick singles win at No. 1 as Martinez Jimenez downed Fujioka, 6-2, 6-3, to tie the match at 1-all. Kohoutova downed Hijos, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 2 singles for the Jaguars, then van der Merwe defeated Goines, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 5 singles. Aoki downed Keranen, 6-3, 7-5, at No. 4 singles to clinch the match for South Alabama.
"Such a fight today from the Eagles, "Georgia Southern Head Women's Tennis Coach Sean McCaffrey said. "I could not be more proud of how hard each and every one of the ladies fought. They stayed together throughout and put every ounce of energy into trying to improve today. And they far exceeded anything I had anticipated. It was clear that South Alabama underestimated the fight we would bring, but that is what we do. A couple of shots here and there in doubles, and a few points going our way in singles and I believe the scoree would have been much closer. Overall, I think we can take away far more positives today even in the loss. I know we will be better for today's experience in our upcoming matches."
RESULTS
Singles
Silvia Martinez Jimenez (GS) def. Yu Fujioka (USA) 6-2, 6-3
Nikola Kohoutova (USA) def. Paula Hijos (GS) 6-2, 6-3
Luminita Tutunaru (USA) and Sophie Wagemaker (GS) 6-7, 6-0, 1-1, unfinished
Otoha Aoki (USA) def. Sonja Keranen (GS) 6-3, 7-5
Lara van der Merwe (USA) def. Elizabeth Goines (GS) 6-3, 6-2
Delien Kleinhans (USA) led Hannah Daniel (GS) 6-3, 5-5, unfinished
Singles finish: 1, 2, 5, 4
Doubles
Luminita Tutunaru/Nikola Kohoutova (USA) def. Elizabeth Goines/Sonja Keranen (GS) 7-5
Yu Fujioka/Lara van der Merwe (USA) def. Silvia Martinez Jimenez/Paula Hijos (GS) 6-3
Hannah Daniel/Sophie Wagemaker (GS) led Delien Kleinhans/Otoha Aoki (USA) 6-5, unfinished
Doubles finish: 1, 2
