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By:
Josh FullerCOLUMBUS – In a top-10 showdown to begin the season, the eighth-ranked Columbus State University women's tennis team lost a tight 5-4 decision to sixth-ranked West Florida Saturday. The match was played at the Mary V. Blackmon Tennis Center in Columbus.
"We had a lot of opportunities in the match that we just didn't take advantage of, " said head coach Evan isaacs. "We will work at it and get back into action next week."
The Lady Cougars did a great job jumping out in front of West Florida, winning two of the three doubles matches, including a thriller at the top spot. The 11
th-ranked duo of
Camila Tobar and
Kirsa Utech was able to outlast Hannah Toro and Kat Dikosavljevic 9-7 to earn the tough victory for CSU. Columbus State was also able to earn a win at third doubles where
Beatriz Leon and
Rachael Williams teamed up to take down Giovana Patitucci and Sarai Flores 8-5.
West Florida (1-0) got on the board with a victory at second doubles. Nina Bubelova and Paula Lopez defeated
Olivera Tadijin and
Saravinder Pannu 8-3 to earn the Argonauts first victory of the day.
Things began to unravel for Columbus State (0-1) in singles play. West Florida was able to win four of the six matches to escape with a win. CSU only won the top two spots before losing the final four in straight sets.
Kicking off her junior campaign, 14
th-ranked Leon won a three-set match at first singles over Toro. Leon took the first set 6-0 before dropping the second 6-3. However, she nearly blanked Toro in the decisive set winning 6-1.
Tobar record an upset at second singles taking down 32nd-ranked Dikosavljevic 7-5, 6-2 for her first career victory over a ranked opponent.
However from there, it was all West Florida. Lopez won at third singles 6-2, 6-3 over Pannu while 42
nd-ranked Bubelova defeated Tadijin 6-1 7-6 at fourth singles. Flores scored an upset win against 50
th-ranked Utech 6-0, 6-4. In the final match of the day, Heather Mixon took down Williams 6-0, 6-3.
Columbus State will take a few days off before traveling to Rome, Ga. to face off against Shorter on Thursday, Feb. 11. The match is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
Singles
1. #14 Beatrice Leon (CSU) def. Hannah Toro (UWF) – 6-0, 3-6, 6-1
2.
Camila Tobar (CSU) def. #32 Kat Dikosavljevic (UWF) – 7-5, 6-2
3. Paula Lopez (UWF) def.
Saravinder Pannu (CSU) – 6-2, 6-3
4. #42 Nina Bubelova (UWF) def.
Olivera Tadijin (CSU) – 6-1, 7-6
5. Sarai Flores (UWF) def. #50
Kirsa Utech (CSU) – 6-0, 6-4
6. Heather Mixon (UWF) def.
Rachael Williams (CSU) – 6-0, 6-3
Doubles
1. #11 Tobar/Utech (CSU) def. Toro/ Dikosavljevic (UWF) – 9-7
2. Bubelova/Lopez (UWF) def. Tadijin/Pannu (CSU) – 8-3
3. Leon/Williams (CSU) def. Giovana Patitucci/Flores (UWF) – 8-5
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