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By: Josh Fuller

COLUMBUS – In search of a fifth straight NCAA Round of 16 appearance, the ninth-ranked Columbus State University women's tennis team punched its ticket to Denver taking down 10th-ranked and third-seeded Flagler 5-1 Monday afternoon in the NCAA Southeast Region final. The regional was hosted by CSU at the Mary V. Blackmon Tennis Center.
 
Overall, it is the eighth time that CSU has reached the Round of 16. All eight appearances have come since 2004 and under current head coach Evan Isaacs.
 
"I'm so proud of the girls for their performance today," said Isaacs. "They have put in the effort all year long and to see it rewarded is awesome. We can't wait to get to Denver and make a run for the national title."
 
The Lady Cougars (21-6) will now take on top-ranked BYU-Hawaii on May 18 at 10 a.m. at the Gates Tennis Center in Denver. The Seasiders defeated the Lady Cougars earlier this season.
 
CSU grabbed the early control of the match after doubles play. The 19th-ranked pair of Giorgia Vitale and Beatriz Leon were in control all day long at second doubles cruising to an 8-2 victory over Thaisa Pereira and Felicitas Runkle. Flagler was able to even up the score after winning third doubles. In that match, Laura Kelly and Lizanne Jinkertz defeated Rachael Williams and Olivera Tadijin 8-3.
 
In the swing match, ninth-ranked Camila Tobar and Kirsa Utech surged in the latter half of the match to down Mary Jo Nanti and Kelly Burge 8-5.
 
The Lady Cougars needed just three wins in singles play to clinch their spot in the Round of 16. Utech was the first to record a win as she dominated fourth singles. Utech dropped just two games in the first set before blanking Burger in the second to win 6-2, 6-0.
 
A little while later, Tadijin joined the win column as the junior took third singles over Pereira 6-2, 6-1. Just minutes later, Vitale won the clincher at the fifth spot rebounding from a second set deficit to take the match 6-0, 6-4 over Kelly.
 
In the unfinished matches, 11th-ranked Leon was up a set against 26th-ranked Jinkertz at the top spot. Second and sixth singles were heading for a decisive third set when play was called.
 
Singles
 
1. #11 Beatriz Leon (CSU) vs. #26 Lizanne Jinkertz (FLG) 7-6 (8-6), 3-2, unfinished
2. #41 Camila Tobar (CSU) vs. Mary Jo Nanti (FLG) 6-0, 4-6, unfinished
3. Olivera Tadijin (CSU) def. Thaisa Pereira (FLG) 6-2, 6-1
4. Kirsa Utech (CSU) def. Kelly Burge (FLG) 6-2, 6-0
5. Giorgia Vitale (CSU) def. Laura Kelly (FLG) 6-0, 6-4
6. Rachael Williams (CSU) vs. Felicitas Runkel (FLG) 2-6, 6-1, unfinished
 
Doubles
 
1. #9 Tobar/Utech (CSU) def. Nanti/Burge (FLG) 8-5
2. #19 Vitale/Leon (CSU) def. Pereira/Runkel (FLG) 8-2
3. Kelly/Jinkertz (FLG) def. Williams/Tadijin (CSU) 8-3