CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The No. 43 Lee University Lady Flames defeated No. 35 Lincoln Memorial University 5-2 Thursday afternoon at the Devos Tennis Center. The Lee women improved to 6-3 and LMU slipped to 9-5.

Mar Garcia Bucosa and Alexandra Ortiz gave LMU an early advantage with a 6-0 win over Nicolette Fuhr and Jasmine Ibegbulam at No. 3 doubles.

Rima Yoshida and Andrea Pascual Blanca, ranked No. 50 in doubles, doubled up Adriana Pellizzari and Natalia Reimer 6-3 to even the doubles competition. Aliyah Dwyer and Maria Fernanda Duarte edged Carla Ramonet and Lucie Palud 6-4 at No. 2 doubles to secure the doubles point for Lee.

Pascual, ranked No. 62, opened singles competition with a 6-2, 6-1 defeat of Mia Rodriguez. Duarte pushed the Lee lead to 3-0 with matching 6-1 set scores against Ortiz at No. 5 singles. Yoshida, ranked No. 20, took down Reimer 6-2 and 6-2 to clinch the team victory.

Pellizzari ended Lee's shutout hopes with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Vitória Maximiliano at the fourth position. Dwyer won her first set with Rosal Carrier-Dulac 6-2 and completed the straight-set win with a 7-2 tiebreaker in the second set.

Laura Nastrini edged Fuhr 7-6 in their opening set of No. 6 singles. Nastrini posted the Railsplitters' second team point with a 6-4 score in the second set.

The Lady Flames return to action on Saturday against No. 6 Mississippi College. The GSC contest is set for a 10 a.m. start at the DeVos Tennis Center.
 
 
Coach Patric Hynes' thoughts:
"Our ladies played well. Lincoln Memorial have a very solid team, so it's pleasing to come out on the winning side today.
"The best aspect of this match was seeing how hard these girls play for each other. Irrespective of outcome, that's all we want to see every time we step onto the courts."