Mercer Results

Jacksonville State Results

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's tennis team dropped only two matches in their pair of 6-1 victories over Mercer and Jacksonville State Friday at the Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts.

South Alabama improved their record to 4-0, while dropping Mercer to 1-3 and Jacksonville State to 1-2.

"All-in-all, we got two wins today and that gives us a nice little streak to start off the season," said USA head coach Jaco Keyser. "I think with the winning comes confidence, so it was definitely a good day for us."

Freshmen duo Laura Valkova (Piestany, Slovakia) and Monica Mitta (Fairhope, Ala.) defeated Roxy Bartz and Haley Powell 8-2 on the No. 2 court to put USA on the board over Mercer. Sophomore Paula Sanchez (Bogota, Columbia) and Laura Matuskova (Bratislava, Slovakia) clinched the doubles point for the Jags when they downed Natalie Franklin and Liza Klyachkin 8-1 at No. 3.

In singles action, Mitta picked up her third straight-sets win with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Bartz in the No. 3 flight. Valkova dropped Lucie Payrat 6-1, 6-3 on the No. 2 court.

Matuskova secured the match for the Jags when she topped Franklin 6-2, 6-1 at No. 4.

Danielle Jones claimed the only point for the Bears with a 6-2, 6-1 win over junior Emily Newton (Dothan, Ala.) at the No. 1 spot. Sanchez downed Amanda Bertani 6-0, 6-3 in the No. 6 flight. Junior Mary Angela Martin (Mobile, Ala.) edged Klyachkin 7-5, 6-4 at No. 5 for her seventh straight win.

The Jaguars swept Jacksonville State in all three doubles matches to take the point. Mitta and Valkova picked up their second win of the day with an 8-3 victory over Claudia Marsala and Isidora Knezevic on the No. 2 court. Newton and Michaela Meszarosova (Bratislava, Slovakia) followed with an 8-3 win over Raisa Guasti and Olivia Nguyen at No. 1. Sanchez and sophomore Cinta Maria Papke (Flein, Germany) topped Danielle Kerindi and Zoe Bizinos 8-2 in the No. 3 flight.

Mitta added another straight-sets victory to her singles record with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Kerindi at the No. 3 spot. Valkova improved her win streak to four when she defeated Nguyen 6-3, 6-3 on the No. 2 court.

"Monica had a really good day," said Keyser. "In the fall she had a problem or two closing out matches when she was way ahead and today I think she learned from those mistakes. She really stayed the course and did what she was supposed to do to finish out the matches."

Martin secured the match for USA when she downed Aleksandra Cmilijic 6-2, 6-0 in the No. 6 flight.

Papke won 6-4, 6-4 over Bizinos at No. 4 and Meszarosova lost 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 to Guasti at the No. 1 spot. Sanchez closed out the day when she defeated Sadey St. Amant 6-0, 6-2 on the No. 6 court.

"Both matches were pretty important and the reason is that we are trying to build our confidence and get used to winning, but at the same time finishing out matches," said Keyser. "We're working on having the maturity and discipline to do the right thing the entire match."

South Alabama is back in action Friday Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. when they travel to Southern Miss.

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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