Results

BEAUMONT, Texas – After taking all three doubles matches, five University of South Alabama women’s tennis players won singles matches to give USA a 6-1 victory over Lamar Sunday at the Thomas Family Tennis Center.

The Jaguars win their seventh straight match and are 11-4 on the season. The Cardinals drop to 6-4.

“It was a great team effort today,” said USA head coach Jaco Keyser. “Lamar is a team that fights and competes year in and year out so it was great to see us out-tough them late in matches.”

Seniors Alina Volman (Lugasnk, Ukraine) and Chané Hines (Johannesburg, South Africa) won South Alabama’s first doubles match 8-4 at No. 1 over Carolina Salas and Alicia Porte. Sophomore Emily Newton (Dothan, Ala.) and freshman Mariya Krachok (Kiev, Ukraine) edged Anais Robert and Helene Czudek 8-5 at the No. 3 spot to put USA on top 1-0.

Freshmen Mary Angela Martin (Mobile, Ala.) and Ramona Ghermani (Bad Wimpfen, Germany) completed the sweep 9-7 on the No. 2 court.

“It is truly exciting seeing a team identity of hard-nosed competitors develop,” said Keyser.

Krachok downed Czudek 6-0, 6-2 in the No. 6 flight Ghermani followed with a win in straight sets over Natalia Mayagoitia 6-1, 6-3 at No. 2.

Salas claimed the Cardinal’s only point with a 7-6, 6-4 victory over Volman on the No. 1 court. Martin defeated Alessandra Pennesi 6-3, 6-4 at the No. 5 spot to secure the win for the Jaguars.

“Lamar kicked us around pretty good last year, so once again it’s nice to see us moving in the right direction,” said Keyser.

Newton dropped her first set 7-5 to Porte at No. 4, but rallied to win the second 6-4 before winning the super tiebreaker 10-5. Hines picked up a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 win on the No. 3 court over Carolina Maso.

“We need to rest up after being on the road for a while and then hit the practice courts hard and keep improving,” said Keyser. “Our quality of tennis has definitely improved and I truly believe if we keep working and keep the current mindset good things will happen.”

South Alabama will take two weeks off before hosting Southern Miss March 31 at noon.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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