Complete Results
MARIETTA, Ga. – The University of South Alabama women's tennis team won three singles matches in straight sets to squeak by Charleston Southern 4-3 Friday afternoon at the Fair Oaks Tennis Center.
The Jaguars, ranked in a tie for 74th by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, stay undefeated at 5-0 while the Buccaneers lose their first match of the season to drop to 3-1.
"That was a solid win today," said USA head coach
Jaco Keyser. "That was two quality teams out there competing with a high level of tennis being played."
The doubles point proved to be decisive and the Jags earned an early 1-0 lead with quick wins at Nos. 1 and 3. Sophomore
Laura Valkova (Piestany, Slovakia) and senior
Emily Newton (Dothan, Ala.) defeated
Angelica Sidorenko and
Mi'Kola Cooper 8-2 at No. 1, and junior
Paula Sanchez (Bogota, Colombia) and sophomore
Monica Mitta (Fairhope, Ala.) downed
Sophie Cloessner and
Marketa Placha 8-3.
South Alabama claimed the next two points in singles to go up 3-0. Sophomore
Laura Matuskova (Bratislava, Slovakia) blanked
Valeria Koussenkova 6-0, 6-0 at No. 6, and Mitta got past Sidorenko 7-5, 6-2 at No. 3.
The Buccaneers climbed back into the match with wins at No. 5 (6-3, 6-4) and No. 1 (3-6, 6-0, 6-4), but Newton clinched the victory with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 win against
Nicolin Luecke on the No. 4 court.
"I felt like we played a pretty clean team match," Keyser said. "The doubles had some good quality and we did a good job closing out Nos. 6 and 3. From there, Charleston Southern showed why they are a good team and made us work for the final point. Win or lose we got better today, but it was definitely a good quality win with regards to the big picture."
The Jaguars return to action tomorrow against host Kennesaw State at 10 a.m. CST.
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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