Georgia State women’s tennis finished the weekend of Jan. 30 with victories over Louisiana Tech and Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) after dropping their first match against Middle Tennessee. The victories improve the Panthers’ record to 3-2 on the young season.
Friday: 6-1 loss to Middle Tennessee
Doubles
The Panthers did not fare well in doubles as Blue Raiders junior Brittany Huxley and senior Nayara Moraes earned a 6-1 victory over Niri Rasolomalala and Kristin Rehse. Middle Tennessee claimed the doubles point with a 6-2 win by senior Tiffany William and junior Darya Shulzhanok against Georgia State’s Tarani Kamoe and Chaimaa Roudami.
Singles
The Blue Raiders’ senior Jesse Grace was defeated by Rehse in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0, accounting for the Panthers’ only point. The last five singles matches all went to Middle Tennessee. Roudami lost to Middle Tennessee junior Giulia Squadrin, 6-3, 6-1. Huxley would later defeat Georgia State’s Marcia Tere-Apisah in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.
Shulzhanok would then earn a straight set win over Masa Grgan, 6-3, 7-6. The longest match of the day was contested between the Panthers’ Rasolomalala and the Blue Raiders’ William. Rasolomala won the first set, 7-6, but 7-6 and 10-8 victories by William switched the match into her favor and her victory.
Moraes would also notch a 6-2, 6-1 win over Georgia State’s Veronika Golanova as the Blue Raiders won by a final of 6-1.
Saturday: 5-2 win vs Louisiana Tech
Doubles
The Panthers’ fortunes were much better against the Bulldogs. Rehse and Rasolomalala defeated sophomore Jazmine Britos and junior Manoela Chiacchio, 6-4. Grgan and Tere-Apisah also earned a victory as they beat junior Taly Merker and Alexandra Starkova, 6-2. Georgia State’s Kamoe and Linn Timmerman combined to defeat freshman Handa Tarrannum and sophomore Marta Sramkova, 7-6.
Singles
The singles portion of competition began inauspiciously for the Panthers, when Rasolomala lost in straight sets to Starkova (6-4, 6-4) and Timmerman was defeated by Lousiana Tech’s Britos in straight sets (6-0, 6-3).
Georgia State turned things around with wins in the final four singles matches. Grgan defeated Tarrannum in straight sets (6-3, 6-2). Rehse also earned a straight set win over the Bulldogs’ Sramkova (6-2, 6-1).
Roudami would win her singles match over Chiacchio in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3. Tere-Apisah was taken to a third set by Merker, but prevailed in the end, 6-3, 6-7, 10-6 to complete the Panthers’ 5-2 win over the Bulldogs.
Sunday: 4-2 win vs FGCU
Doubles
Sweeping the doubles competition set the tone for the Panthers against the Eagles. Tere-Apisah and Grgan prevailed over FGCU junior Alex Landert and freshman Julianna Curtis by a final of 6-3. Rasolomalala and Rehse claimed the doubles point for the Panthers with a 6-2 win over sophomore Breana Stampfli and junior Johanna Sterkel.
Singles
FGCU got on the scoreboard with a 6-2, 6-1 win by Sterkel over Rehse. The next two singles matches went Georgia State’s way as Grgan earned a straight set win over Eagles junior Elizabeth Means (6-2, 6-3) and Rasolomalala topped FGCU’s Sarah Means in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.
Stampfli would win against the Panthers’ Timmerman, 7-5, 7-6 for the Eagles’ second point of the match. Georgia State would gain a victory from Roudami over FGCU senior Candela Munoz Giron (6-3, 6-3) to take the match.
The Panthers will hit the hardcourt on the road in Raleigh, North Carolina with matches on Saturday and Sunday against Winthrop and North Carolina State.
