ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - The fifth-ranked Lady Cougar women's tennis team defeated 13th-ranked Flagler College 5-2 in a crucial Peach Belt Conference match on Tuesday, April 19.

Columbus State is now 16-4 (6-0 PBC) after winning its 12th straight match. Flagler falls to 11-6 (3-1 PBC) and drops its first PBC match of the season. The two teams were ranked first and second in the first NCAA Southeast Region rankings.

The Saints took the first doubles match when the pair of Alessandra Traub and Anika Nissen beat Agostina Bigotti and Neila Trklja 6-2 at second doubles. However, in first singles, the team of Valentina Abrile and Mariana Ramirez downed Luisa Hrda and Eden Schlagenhauf 6-2. Finishing at the same time in third singles was the duo of Sara Ramirez and Luciana Galves, who defeated Florencia Massardo and Addie Breunich in a close 7-5 victory.

In singles play, the Lady Cougars took four of the six matches to secure the victory. Bigotti earned the first win in sixth singles beating Breunich 6-0, 6-1. The next victory came from Abrile in third singles, defeating Traub 6-3, 6-4. Galves gave the Lady Cougars the third victory after besting Massardo 6-4, 6-2 playing in fifth singles. M. Ramirez gave the Lady Cougars the final win at second singles, knocking off Schlagenhauf 7-6, 7-5 in the crucial second singles match.

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The Lady Cougars will finish out the regular season on Sunday, April 24 in a PBC match against the University of North Georgia at 2 p.m. at the John W. Walden Tennis Center in Columbus.