Results

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama got four singles wins in straight sets to give the Jaguars a 4-3 victory over the Louisiana at Lafayette women's tennis team Friday afternoon at the Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts.

The Jags win their third straight match—their longest streak since 2009—and move to 7-4 on the year. The Ragin’ Cajuns fall to 3-9.

“It was the story of two tales,” said USA head coach Jaco Keyser. “We weren’t very good in doubles. We didn’t do the little things and didn’t have enough energy, so that was disappointing. We came back in singles and probably put together our best effort of the year. Louisiana-Lafayette has been off to a tough start with a tough schedule, but that’s a team that made the conference finals last year and beat up on us pretty good, so it’s nice to see us moving in the right direction.”

USA dropped 10 games in winning all three matches at the bottom of the singles lineup and freshman Ramona Ghermani (Bad Wimpfen, Germany) blanked Sophie van den Aarssen in the second set to clinch the win.

“Like I said, singles was probably our best effort of the year,” Keyser said. “It was six solid points. We had the patience and we were building points. We weren’t making mental errors and we were gritty again.”

After losing the doubles point, South Alabama took the next four matches. Freshman Mary Angela Martin (Mobile, Ala.) defeated Hannah Appleyard 6-1, 6-0 at No. 5 to even the match at 1-1, and fellow rookie Mariya Krachok (Kiev, Ukraine) toppled Sandra Ahlqvist 6-3, 6-2 on the No. 6 court.

Sophomore Emily Newton (Dothan, Ala.) won 6-2, 6-2 over Tara Vasovic at No. 4 to bring the Jags one step closer to victory. Ghermani survived a first-set tiebreaker at No. 2 and went on to win 7-6 (7-2), 6-0.

The Ragin Cajuns claimed the doubles point but not before a fierce rally at No. 3 by South Alabama. Martin and Ghermani trailed Ahlqvist and van den Aarssen 6-2 but was able to take an 8-7 lead. ULL staged a comeback of its own to force the tiebreaker, and scored five of the last six points after falling behind 5-3.

“The fight at No. 3 was good,” Keyser commented. “We always talk about it—if the mindset is right and the fight is there, you’ll get a second or third look in to a match. But, we have to come out here tomorrow and keep working on our doubles, because moving forward, we have to play better doubles than that.”

South Alabama returns to action next week with road matches at Alabama State on Tuesday and Jacksonville State on Wednesday.

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).

—USA—