SAN MARCOS, Texas - Georgia Southern women's tennis completed its Sun Belt weekend trip to Texas by picking up a 4-2 win over host Texas State on Sunday in San Marcos.
The Eagles improved to 10-8 overall and 3-4 in the Sun Belt with the victory, while Texas State falls to 4-14 overall and 1-7 in the league. Georgia Southern returns to action on Friday, hosting Florida A&M in a 10 a.m. non-conference match at the Wallis Tennis Complex.
Georgia Southern started off the match by collecting the doubles point as Silvia Martinez Jimenez and Paula Hijos picked up a 6-1 win at No. 2 doubles, while Sophie Wagemaker and Hannah Daniel collected a 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles.
The Eagles won four of six first sets to start singles off strongly. Hijos finished off a 6-3, 6-2 win over Kate Malazonia at No. 2 singles, then Sonja Keranen completed a 6-3, 6-3 win over Mae McCutcheon at No. 3 singles to put Georgia Southern one match away from clinching.
Texas State closed the gap with straight-set singles wins at No. 5 and No. 6 singles, but Wagemaker clinched the win for the Eagles with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-2 victory over Sofia Fortuno at No. 4 singles.
"I feel like today was a really good win," Georgia Southern Head Women's Tennis Coach Sean McCaffrey said. "The team definitely responded well after yesterday's match. The things we wanted to focus on, they showed that in doubles, particularly at two and three. The things we were trying to eliminate, the free points that we had yesterday and in past matches. They showed a conscientious level of discipline in how they handled things. Keeping things simple, closing the net, setting each other up and being selfless. Pauli and Silvi have come together quite well in doubles and I can't say enough about Hannah and Sophie, about how they have done such a great job.
"In singles, Pauli has been so good, to go from the positions she played last year to moving up this year," McCaffrey said. "She has been such a feisty competitor, we're so excited to have her for two more years. Sonja was really disciplined in her singles match. Even after starting slow, she did the things we needed to have done and made her opponent feel uncomfortable. And Sophie, after winning her first set easily, did such an amazing job mentality-wise to come back after dropping the second set to take the third. I couldn't be more proud of her. Today was a hard-fought win against a well-coached team that had a lot to play for on their Senior Day. We will now take a couple of days off, rest, recover and keep on making headway towards the conference tournament."
RESULTS
Singles
Hana Kvapilova (TXST) led Silvia Martinez Jimenez (GS) 2-6, 6-3, 2-1, unfinished
Paula Hijos (GS) def. Kate Malazonia (TXST) 6-3, 6-2
Sonja Keranen (GS) def. Mae McCutcheon (TXST) 6-3, 6-3
Sophie Wagemaker (GS) def. Sofia Fortuno (TXST) 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
Maria Lora (TXST) def. Elizabeth Goines (GS) 6-1, 7-6 (3)
Renata Gonzalez (TXST) def. Hannah Daniel (GS) 6-2, 6-2
Singles finish: 2, 3, 6, 5, 4
Doubles
Hana Kvapilova/Kate Malazonia (TXST) def. Elizabeth Goines/Sonja Keranen (GS) 6-1
Silvia Martinez Jimenez/Paula Hijos (GS) def. Jadeh Chan/Mae McCutcheon (TXST) 6-1
Hannah Daniel/Sophie Wagemaker (GS) def. Sofia Fortuno/Kylee Shannon (TXST) 6-2
Doubles finish: 1, 2, 3
