North Georgia won their women's tennis regional with an epic 4-3 victory against Columbus State while Flagler opened play in their regional with a sweep of Newberry.
North Georgia Advances to NCAA Women's Tennis Nationals After Epic Win over CSU
DAHLONEGA, GA -- North Georgia's Angelina Linnikova completed an epic rally and captured the deciding point as the Nighthawks defeated Columbus State 4-3 in the NCAA women's tennis regional on Saturday. With the win, UNG advances to the NCAA national finals and the round of 16 which begins on May 20 in Orlando, Fla.
UNG improves to 23-1 on the season while Columbus State's season comes to a close with a 15-8 record.
Linnikova dropped the first set to Columbus State's Mariana Ramirez 7-5 as the two squared off at #1 singles. Linnikova then won the second set 6-3 and the third 6-4, breaking Ramirez's serve with the set tied at 2-2. The two battled for 2:47 in what was one of the four singles matches to go three sets.
The two teams began with doubles. Columbus State took the point with a win at the #1 spot as Ramirez and Nikoline Gullacksen defeated Johanna Lippert and Viktorie Wojcikova 6-4.
UNG came back to take the first two singles matches. Valentina Ascarrunz defeated Yelena Labat 6-1, 6-2 at sixth singles while Svetlana Teterina beat Agostina Bigotti 6-4, 6-3 at #5.
CSU tied the match at 2-2 at third singles where Laura Pesickova came back after dropping the second set to beat Lippert 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.
UNG went up 3-2 as Ashley Moinard rallied after dropping the first set to Isadora Oliveira 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 at fourth singles.
CSU tied it up again at #2 singles. Gullacksen dropped the first set to Wojcikova 6-2 but rallied 6-2, 6-4 in the next two sets to win, leaving only Linnikova and Ramirez on the courts.
No. 6 Flagler advances with win over No. 35 Newberry
ST. AUGUSTINE – No. 6 (Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Division II Top 50) Flagler College blanked No. 35 Newberry College 4-0 in a NCAA Division II Women's National Tournament preliminary round match Saturday morning at the Pollard Tennis Center.
Flagler raised its record to 15-5 and improved to 6-1 in home matches. Newberry's season ends with a 12-8 record. Flagler will face the winner of the Catawba College-Wingate University match tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.
Due to the Wolves being shorthanded, the Saints needed to win only one doubles match and the team of Laura Jipescu and Nadja Meier cruised to a 6-0 victory
Newberry forfeited No. 6 singles and it didn't take long for Toni Pfeiffer to sweep her opponent, Sarah Wells (6-0, 6-0) and Meier, ranked No. 3 in the country, to coast to a 6-0, 6-1 win against Sofia Cardenas to clinch the match.
#6 Flagler 4, #35 Newberry 0
5/11/24 at St. Augustine, Fla. (Pollard Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. #3 Nadja Meier (FLG) def. Sofia Cardenas (NEW) 6-0, 6-1
2. #50 Dana Heimen (FLG) vs. Renee Dorval (NEW) 6-1, 2-2, unfinished
3. Leonie Floeth (FLG) vs. Alexa Gamborino (NEW) 6-3, unfinished
4. Eryka Kruk (FLG) vs. Hazel Vernon (NEW) 6-3, 3-0, unfinished
5. Toni Pfeiffer (FLG) def. Sarah Wells (NEW) 6-0, 6-0
6. Laura Jipescu (FLG) def. No player (NEW), by walkover
Doubles competition
1. Leonie Floeth/Dana Heimen (FLG) vs. Sofia Cardenas/Aina Miralles (NEW) 4-1, unfinished
2. Laura Jipescu/Nadja Meier (FLG) def. Renee Dorval/Alexa Gamborino (NEW) 6-0
3. Eryka Kruk/Toni Pfeiffer (FLG) def. No player/No player (NEW), by walkover
Match Notes
Newberry 12-8; National ranking #35
Flagler 15-5; National ranking #6
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,5,1)
NCAA Division II Southeast Region No. 2
#7 Newberry at #2 Flagler
T-1:21 A-63