Box Score LIVINGSTON, Ala. – In a match that started an hour late due to the weather and had two rain stoppages of almost two hours in length, the Lee University women's tennis team lost 5-2 to the University of West Alabama. The Gulf South Conference (GSC) match took 7 ½ hours to complete with the delays.
It was the second loss in row for the Lady Flames (5-2, 1-2 GSC) after starting the season with five consecutive wins.
West Alabama (3-1, 1-1 GSC) carried a 3-0 lead after the doubles action. Francesca Tondi and Joanna Grzegrzolka were defeated 8-1 by Amina Mukhametshina and Georgina Morral. Liliana Araucz and Andrea Tomassone were 8-2 winners over Maclain Yowarsky and Marta Garcia Nieto at No. 2 doubles. Morgan Friedlander and Laura Beth Hardesty were held off by Evelyn Moreno and Sandra Florez, 8-5.
"Our girls got jumped in doubles early, but we showed a lot of resilience today," said Lee head coach Patric Hynes. "Marta and Asia (Grzegrzolka) were fantastic in getting us back into the match and Fran was right there as well."
Grzegrzolka took down Morral 6-2, 6-2 at No. 3 singles to put the Lady Flames on the board. Garcia Nieto followed with a 6-3, 6-0 defeat of Moreno at the No. 2 slot.
Tondi won her first set against Mukhametshina, 6-2, but was unable to maintain the momentum and lost the next two sets 6-4 and 6-2.
Araucz claimed a three-set victory over Yowarsky to give the Lady Tigers the team win. Yowarsky won the opening set 6-4, but lost the final two 6-1 and 6-0.
Krista Good and Friedlander did not finish their matches. Good was leading 1-0 in the second set after dropping the first set 7-5 to Florez. Friedlander only played one set, a 6-2 loss to Tomassone.
"Overall, I'm very proud of our toughness today. It was a long drawn out match with a lot of rain delays and we were able to continually refocus and battle all day," Hynes finalized.
The Lady Flames host Delta State University on Friday at the DeVos Tennis Center. The GSC matchup is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. EST.
West Alabama 5, Lee University 2Singles 1. Amina Mukhametshina (UWA-W) def. Francesca Tondi (LEE-W) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
2. Marta Garcia Nieto (LEE-W) def. Evelyn Moreno (UWA-W) 6-3, 6-0
3. Joanna Grzegrzolka (LEE-W) def. Georgina Morral (UWA-W) 6-2, 6-2
4. Liliana Araucz (UWA-W) def. Maclain Yowarsky (LEE-W) 4-6, 6-1, 6-0
5. Sandra Florez (UWA-W) vs. Krista Good (LEE-W) 7-5, 0-1, unfinished
6. Andrea Tomassone (UWA-W) vs. Morgan Friedlander (LEE-W) 6-2, unfinished
Doubles 1. Amina Mukhametshina/Georgina Morral (UWA-W) def. Francesca Tondi/Joanna Grzegrzolka (LEE-W) 8-1
2. Liliana Araucz/Andrea Tomassone (UWA-W) def. Maclain Yowarsky/Marta Garcia Nieto (LEE-W) 8-2
3. Evelyn Moreno/Sandra Florez (UWA-W) def. Morgan Friedlander/Laura Beth Hardesty (LEE-W) 8-5
