Georgia Southern women's tennis rebounded from its first loss of the Spring with a convincing 4-0 win over in-state rival Mercer on Wednesday afternoon in Macon.
The Eagles moved to 7-1 on the year with the victory, while Mercer falls to 3-3. Georgia Southern returns home to the Wallis Tennis Center on Friday, taking on the College of Charleston at 2 p.m.
Georgia Southern earned the doubles point against the Bears with a 6-2 win by Sonja Keranen and Ninon Martinache at No. 2 doubles and a 6-3 win by Mackenzie Leopold and Sophie Wagemaker at No. 3 doubles.
The Eagles then won the first sets at all six singles matches. Martinache claimed a quick 6-1, 6-1 win over Mariella Minetti at No. 2 singles, and Lindsay Tulenko won by the same 6-1, 6-1 score over Emilia Cosatto at No. 3 singles. Paula Hijos claimed a 6-3, 6-1 win over Kennedi Jones at No. 6 singles and all of the three other singles matches were halted in the second set with the match clinched.
"The ladies came out strong today and really handled business," Georgia Southern head women's tennis coach Sean McCaffrey said. "I feel like Sonja and Ninon were particularly feeling it in doubles. And Lindsay, Ninon and Pauli handled business efficiently and effectively in singles. For that matter, each of the ladies all had commanding leads in singles and I think the early leads all six women gave us allowed for us to enforce a little scoreboard pressure on Mercer, which then allowed us to relax a bit on a tough road match. However, it also becomes something that our opponents will need to deal with as they see the difficult challenge they have just to claw back into their matches. I'm happy with today's performance and result and now we are squarely focused on a very tough College of Charleston squad on Friday at home!"
RESULTS
Singles
1. Silvia Martinez (GS) led Lea Falentin (MU) 6-2, 5-4, unfinished
2. Ninon Martinache (GS) def. Mariella Minetti (MU) 6-1, 6-1
3. Lindsay Tulenko (GS) def. Emilia Cosatto (MU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Nanaka Kijima (GS) led Kristin Yordanova (MU) 6-2, 5-2, unfinished
5. Makenzie Leopold (GS) led Lekha Varudandi (MU) 6-4, 2-3, unfinished
6. Paula Hijos (GS) def. Kennedi Jones (MU) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles
1. Lea Falentin/Emilia Cosatto (MU) led Silvia Martinez/Lindsay Tulenko (GS) 5-4, unfinished
2. Sonja Keranen/Ninon Martinache (GS) def. Mariella Minetti/Lekha Varudandi (MU) 6-2
3. Mackenzie Leopold/Sophie Wagemaker (GS) def. Kristin Yordanova/Kennedi Jones (MU) 6-3
