COLUMBUS - For the fourth time in five seasons, the Columbus State University women's tennis team are Peach Belt Conference Tournament champions after the sixth-ranked Lady Cougars blanked 11th-ranked Flagler 4-0 on Sunday afternoon. The 2022 PBC Tournament was hosted by CSU at the John W. Walden Tennis Center.

It's the fourth title in program history, all coming under head coach Evan Isaacs. The win also revenges CSU's loss in the 2021 PBC Tournament title match to the Saints. 

"That was an unbelievable performance by the ladies," commented Isaacs. "Flagler is a very talented team, but we were focused and played some of our best tennis this whole year."

Two of the three doubles matches were decided handily as the two national powers spilt first and third doubles. CSU recorded the first win at the third spot with Sara Ramirez and Luciana Galves shutting out Florenica Massardo and Addie Breunich 6-0. FC picked up a win at first doubles when Luisa Hrda and Eden Schlagenhauf upset 12th-ranked Valentina Abrile and Mariana Ramirez 6-1.

Second doubles was where the action was happening as Neila Trklja and Agostina Bigotti were neck-and-neck with Alessandra Traub and Anika Nissen. The Lady Cougars eventually outlasted their foes, taking the match 7-5 to give Columbus State the doubles point.

In singles play, the backend of the Lady Cougar lineup was busy. Bigotti was impressive in her sixth position, running by Breunich 6-1, 6-1, while Galves recorded a quick 6-1, 6-3 decision over Massardo in the fifth spot. 

The championship-clinching point came from Mariana Ramirez at second singles. The 52nd-ranked player in the nation dug deep to complete the 6-2, 6-4 straight-set victory.

In the unfinished matches, Abrile was up a set on Traub at third singles, while Nissen led Yelena Labat 6-4, 4-3. A top-10 showdown was brewing at first singles, where fifth-ranked Hrda held a 6-3, 6-6 advantage on ninth-ranked Trklja. 

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Columbus State awaits the draw for the 2022 NCAA Southeast Regional, which will be announced on Tuesday, May 3 at 8:30 p.m. CSU was ranked first in the last NCAA regional rankings released late last week.