LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The Lee University women's tennis team lost a pair of matches this weekend against teams rated in the top-34 of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's rankings. The Lady Flames (7-5, 4-4 GSC) fell 8-1 to No. 34 West Alabama Sunday morning after losing to No. 2 West Florida, 9-0, on Saturday.
The Lady Flames are scheduled to return to action on Thursday against Auburn University at Montgomery. The Gulf South Conference match is set for 2 p.m. EDT at the DeVos Tennis Center.
West Alabama (8-4, 4-3 GSC) took the early lead with an 8-0 score at No. 3 doubles. The Tigers won No. 2 doubles by an 8-5 margin and finished the doubles sweep with an 8-4 mark at the first position.
Georgina Salom and Katia De La Garza won at No. 2 and No. 1 singles, respectively, to secure the team win for UWA.
Carley Sickinger ended the host's shutout bid with a win at the third singles position. Sickinger lost her opening set, 6-4, to Evelyn Moreno, but forced a final set with a 6-3 second-set win. Moreno retired, earning the singles win for Sickinger.
UWA won the next two matches in straight sets. Laura Beth Hardesty battled Liliana Araucz to three sets. Hardesty won the first set, 6-1, and dropped the second set by a 6-3 score. In the final super set, Araucz held on to win 10-5.
In Saturday's contest, West Florida (17-0, 6-0 GSC) lost just five points to sweep the doubles competition at the Ralph "Skeeter" Carson Tennis Complex in Pensacola, Fla.
The Lady Argos continued their momentum into singles competition. The hosts gave up four or fewer games in four of the singles matches. Nicole Shennett was outlasted 7-5 by Isabella Calves at No. 6 singles before losing the second set 6-2. Francesca Tondi battled No. 5 ranked Paula Coyos at the first position. Coyos posted a 6-2, 6-4 win to set the final margin.
#34 WEST ALABAMA 8, LEE UNIVERSITY 1
Singles competition
1. Katia De La Garza (UWAW18) def. Francesca Tondi (LEE-W) 6-2, 6-1
2. Georgina Salom (UWAW18) def. Marta Garcia-Nieto (LEE-W) 6-0, 6-2
3. Carley Sickinger (LEE-W) def. Evelyn Moreno (UWAW18) 4-6, 6-3, retired
4. Andrea Tomassone (UWAW18) def. Joanna Grzegrzolka (LEE-W) 6-4, 6-1
5. Liliana Araucz (UWAW18) def. Laura Beth Hardesty (LEE-W) 1-6, 6-3, 10-5
6. Imperia Martinez Mor (UWAW18) def. Nicole Shennett (LEE-W) 6-4, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Katia De La Garza/Georgina Salom (UWAW18) def. Francesca Tondi/Marta Garcia-Nieto (LEE-W) 8-4
2. Liliana Araucz/Andrea Tomassone (UWAW18) def. Joanna Grzegrzolka/Carley Sickinger (LEE-W) 8-5
3. Imperia Martinez Mor/Evelyn Moreno (UWAW18) def. Laura Beth Hardesty/Nicole Shennett (LEE-W) 8-0
#2 WEST FLORIDA 9, LEE UNIVERSITY 0
Singles competition
1. #5 Paula Coyos (UWF) def. Francesca Tondi (LEE-W) 6-2, 6-4
2. #33 Jordana Lujan (UWF) def. Carley Sickinger (LEE-W) 6-2, 6-0
3. Heather Mixon (UWF) def. Marta Garcia-Nieto (LEE-W) 6-2, 6-2
4. Samantha Echevarria (UWF) def. Joanna Grzegrzolka (LEE-W) 6-0, 6-1
5. Lais Bicca (UWF) def. Laura Beth Hardesty (LEE-W) 6-0, 6-1
6. Isabella Calves (UWF) def. Nicole Shennett (LEE-W) 7-5, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #4 Paula Coyos/Jordana Lujan (UWF) def. Francesca Tondi/Marta Garcia-Nieto (LEE-W) 8-0
2. Heather Mixon/Samantha Echevarria (UWF) def. Carley Sickinger/Joanna Grzegrzolka (LEE-W) 8-4
3. Diana Vlad/Ines Nicault (UWF) def. Laura Beth Hardesty/Nicole Shennett (LEE-W) 8-1
