COLUMBUS - The sixth-ranked and top-seeded Columbus State University women's tennis team is back in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship as the Lady Cougars downed fourth-seeded Augusta University 4-1 on Saturday in the semifinal round. The 2022 PBC Tennis Tournament is being hosted by CSU and the John W. Walden Tennis Center in Columbus.

It's the 10th straight appearance for CSU (17-5) in the PBC Tournament championship match, but the Lady Cougars have a familiar foe waiting for them in the finals in Flagler College. The 11th-ranked and third-seeded Saints hung on to defeat eighth-ranked and second-seeded University of North Georgia 4-3 in the other semifinal match. It's the second straight year the two teams will play for the conference crown, with FC taking down CSU 4-3 last season in an epic match in Columbus. 

It didn't all come easy for Columbus State on Saturday. The Lady Cougars rolled at second doubles as Neila Trklja and Agostina Bigotti blew through Carlota Costa and Edith Rueda 6-2, but the remaining two matches were nailbiters. Augusta evened things when third doubles concluded where Claudia Borbon and Clara Basunana clipped Sara Ramirez and Luciana Galves in a 7-6 (7-0) tiebreak. 

All of the eyes then turned to first doubles. After battling back-and-forth all match, 12th-ranked Valentina Abrile and Mariana Ramirez and Teresa Franco and Julia de Macedo headed into a tiebreaker with the first point of the afternoon on the line. The Lady Cougar duo turned on the jets late, taking the tiebreak 7-1 to claim the 7-6 victory.

Columbus State was more in control in singles play, including Gavles who recorded a quick 6-0, 6-1 win at fifth singles over Basunana. Augusta (16-5) inched closer in the match after Rueda finished off Yelena Labat 6-3, 6-3 in the fourth spot. 

Bigotti quickly took the first set 6-2 over Costa before the two played an evenly-contested second set at sixth singles. However, Bigotti outlasted her foe to put together a 6-2, 7-5 win.

The clincher was in a top-20 showdown at number one singles, where ninth-ranked Trklja and 15th-ranked Borbon faced off. Trklja didn't have much issue with the PBC Freshman of the Year, winning the match 6-1, 7-6. 

Mariana Ramirez was up a set at second singles, while Abrile was down in the third set in the third spot when play was called.

The 2022 PBC Tournament championship will begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday at the Walden Tennis Complex.