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By: Josh Fuller

COLUMBUS – Kicking off NCAA Tournament play, the ninth-ranked and second-seeded Columbus State University women's tennis team cruised by seventh-seeded Queens 5-0 Sunday morning. The NCAA Southeast Regional is being hosted by CSU at the Mary V. Blackmon Tennis Center.
 
With the win, the Lady Cougars advance to the second round on Monday and will take on 10th-ranked and third-seeded Flagler at 3 p.m. The Saints defeated sixth-seeded USC Aiken 5-0 later in the day on Sunday to set up a rematch of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament semifinals. CSU won that match 5-1 to move to 2-0 against FC this season.
 
"I didn't think we played our best today in singles, but the girls battled and found ways to win matches and that is what good teams do," said head coach Evan Isaacs. "We just have to continue to work on the small things to get better every day and prepare for a tough match tomorrow against Flagler."
 
Columbus State (20-6) took full control of the match in doubles winning all three matches handily. The 19th-ranked pair of Giorgia Vitale and Beatriz Leon got the Lady Cougars on the scoreboard first with an 8-2 victory at the second spot against Caroline Nielsen and Carlotta Nassi. At first doubles, the ninth-ranked duo of Camila Tobar and Kirsa Utech also took care of business defeating Marta Gonzalez and Melissa Laing 8-3. To cap off the sweep, Rachael Williams and Olivera Tadijin knocked off Claire Hamilton and Hannah Lehfeldt 8-4.
 
Queens (14-4) battled in singles play, including taking sets at second and third singles, before CSU wrapped up the match with two quick wins. Playing at fifth singles, Vitale wasted no time in defeating Hamilton 6-1, 6-0 to put the Lady Cougars up 4-0. Minutes later, Williams clinched the victory with a 6-2, 6-0 win at the sixth spot against Lehfeldt.
 
In the unfinished matches, 11th-ranked Leon was up a set against 21st-ranked Nassi while Utech was also leading Nielsen at the fourth position.

Singles

1. #11 Beatriz Leon (CSU) vs. #21 Carlotta Nassi (QU) 6-1, 3-3, unfinished
2. #41 Camila Tobar (CSU) vs. Marta Gonzalez (QU) 4-6, 2-2, unfinished
3. Olivera Tadijin (CSU) vs. Melissa Laing (QU) 3-6, 1-4, unfinished
4. Kirsa Utech (CSU) vs. Caroline Nielsen (QU) 6-4, 2-0, unfinished
5. Giorgia Vitale (CSU) def. Claire Hamilton (QU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Rachael Williams (CSU) def. Hannah Lehfeldt (QU) 6-2, 6-0
 
Doubles

1. #9 Tobar/Utech (CSU) def. Gonzalez/Laing (QU) 8-3
2. #19 Vitale/Leon (CSU) def. Nielsen/Nassi (QU) 8-2
3. Williams/Tadijin (CSU) def. Hamilton/Lehfeldt (QU) 8-4