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By: Josh Fuller

ROME, Ga. – The eighth-ranked Columbus State University women's tennis team earned its first victory of the 2016 season on Thursday defeating Shorter 7-2. The match took place at the Walt Attaway Tennis Complex in Rome, Ga.

The Lady Cougars (1-1) wasted no time in taking full advantage of the match winning all three doubles competitions. At third doubles, Beatriz Leon and Giorgia Vitale had no troubles against the team of Monika Gredzinski and Julie Rinderknech taking the match 8-2. However, first and second doubles weren't so easy for the Lady Cougars. At the second spot, Saravinder Pannu and Rachael Williams topped Daniela Chipe and Cassandra Wennestrom 8-6. First singles needed an extra game to decide a winner as the 11^th-ranked Camila Tobar and Kirsa Utech edged past Omella Frere and Agnes Brun 9-7.

Columbus State didn't have any problem winning four of the six singles matches to clinch the victory. At the top spot, 14^th-ranked Leon defeated Frere 6-4, 6-2 for a Lady Cougar victory. CSU dominated the fourth, fifth and sixth singles spots dropping just three games in the three matches. At fourth singles, Olivera Tadijin raced past Chipe 6-1, 6-1 while 50^th-ranked Utech blanked Gredzinski 6-0, 6-0 at fifth singles. At the sixth spot, Williams recorded her first collegiate singles victory defeating Rinderknech 6-0, 6-1.

Shorter (1-1) won its two matches at second and third singles. Brun defeated Tobar in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 at second singles while Pannu dropped a tough three-set match to Wennestrom 4-6, 6-2, 10-8.

Columbus State will have a day off before hosting Alabama Huntsville on Saturday, Feb. 13 at 1:30 p.m. at the Mary V. Blackmon Tennis Center.

Singles
1. #14 Beatriz Leon (CSU) def. Omella Frere  (SU) – 6-4, 6-2
2. Agnes Brun (SU) def. Camila Tobar (CSU) – 6-3, 7-6
3. Cassandra Wennestrom (SU) def. Saravinder Pannu (CSU) – 4-6, 6-2, 10-8
4. Olivera Tadijin (CSU) def. Daniela Chipe (SU) – 6-1, 6-1
5. #50 Kirsa Utech (CSU) def. Monika Gredzinski  (SU) – 6-0, 6-0
6. Rachael Williams (CSU) def. Julie Rinderknech (SU) – 6-0, 6-1

Doubles
1. #11 Tobar/Utech (CSU) def. Frere / Brun (SU) – 9-7
2. Williams/Pannu (CSU) def. Chipe / Wennestrom (SU) – 8-6
3. Leon/Giorgia Vitale (CSU) def. Gredzinski/Rinderknech (SU) – 8-2