TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (Feb. 20, 2008) Georgia State's women's tennis team fell to 4-6 on the year after a 6-1 loss to Alabama Wednesday evening at the Varsity Courts.
"We have made progress lately as a team,” said head coach Miha Lisac. “I think we are beginning to understand what it takes to be successful at this level. We will keep working on and build upon our progress in the last couple of matches. It's not always easy to maintain the intensity and the focus when results don't immediately follow hard work.”
The Panthers entered Tuscaloosa with a shorthanded squad. Andrea Brenes and Tiffany Welcher downed Martina Nitkova and Katerina Gresova 8-5 at No. 1, but partners Dariana Kozmina and Kiara Powell took down Pauline Bigos and Alice Tunaru to split the doubles point. The Crimson Tide took the doubles point after State was forced to forfeit at No. 3.
Alabama entered singles competition with a 3-0 lead after State was forced to forfeit two spots. Kozmina earned the Panthers' lone point with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Alice Tunaru at No. 2. Nitkova and Gresova both pushed their matches to a tiebreaker. Nitkova fell 2-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-5) to Tiffany Welcher at No. 1 while Gresova dropped 6-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8) to Meritt Emery at No. 4.
“We are looking forward to the challenges ahead of us - we intend to bring our A game to each and every one of these matches and look for a big win every time we get out there," said Lisac.
The Panthers are back on the road this weekend with back-to-back matches against CAA rivals, Old Dominion and VCU.
Match Results
Alabama 6, Georgia State 1
Singles Competition
Tiffany Welcher (UA) def. Martina Nitkova (GSU) 2-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-5)
Dariana Kozmina (GSU) def. Alice Tunaru (UA) 6-4, 6-2
Paulina Bigos (UA) def. Kiara Powell (GSU) 6-2, 6-1
Meritt Emery (UA) def. Katerina Gresova (GSU) 6-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8)
Bianca Svensson (UA) won by forfeit
Shelley Godwin (UA) won by forfeit
Order of finish: 5,6,3*,2,4,1
Doubles Competition
Andrea Brenes/Tiffany Welcher (UA) def. Martina Nitkova/Katerina Gresova (GSU) 8-5
Dariana Kozmina/Kiara Powell (GSU) def. Paulina Bigos/Alice Tunaru (UA) 8-6
Bianca Svensson/Meritt Emery (UA) won by forfeit
Order of finish: 3,1,2
