On a warm, spring-like February afternoon, the Lee University women’s tennis team defeated West Georgia, 8-1, to open its Gulf South Conference schedule. The Lady Flames (2-0, 1-0 GSC) won 2-of-3 doubles matches and swept the singles competition to drop the Wolves to 0-4 overall and 0-3 in conference play.
Francesca Tondi and Marta Garcia-Nieto gave Lee a quick 1-0 lead with an 8-5 win over Jordan England and Brooke Kane at No. 1 doubles. Joanna Grzegrzolka and Ana Webber doubled-up Gabby Chanthaphaeng and Meg Cummings, 8-4.
UWG’s Sara Watson and Shelby Brown ended Lee’s hopes for the shutout.
They outlasted Carley Sickinger and Laura Beth Hardesty, 9-7.
Tondi was a 6-0, 6-3 winner over Watson and Webber pulled Lee to within one point of the team win with a 6-0, 6-2 defeat of Cummings. Garcia-Nieto held off Kane to win their opening set 6-4 before winning the match and securing the team win with a 6-0 mark in the second set.
Sickinger beat England 6-2 and 6-3. Hardesty won 6-2 in the opening set and won the tie-breaker 7-4 for the 7-6 second-set win.
Grzegrzolka lost to Chanthaphaeng 6-2 in the opening set, but forced a third and final set with a 6-1 margin in the second set. The super-set third set was claimed by a 10-4 score by Grzegrzolka to finalize the team score.
“We had to deal with some early butterflies and tricky conditions in doubles, but the girls did a nice job coming through,” said Lee head coach Patric Hynes. “We showed great energy in singles. I’m very proud of Joanna for fighting it out from a set down. She’s had limited preparation and just showed great determination to win today.”
The Lady Flames are scheduled to travel to Jefferson City, Tenn., Wednesday afternoon to take on Carson-Newman University. The non-conference match is set for 1:30 p.m.
LEE UNIVERSITY 8, WEST GEORGIA 1
Singles competition
1. Francesca Tondi (LEE-W) def. Sara Watson (UWG) 6-0, 6-3
2. Marta Garcia-Nieto (LEE-W) def. Brooke Kane (UWG) 6-4, 6-0
3. Carley Sickinger (LEE-W) def. Jordan England (UWG) 6-2, 6-3
4. Joanna Grzegrzolka (LEE-W) def. Gabby Chanthaphaeng (UWG) 2-6, 6-1, 10-4
5. Laura Beth Hardesty (LEE-W) def. Shelby Brown (UWG) 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
6. Ana Webber (LEE-W) def. Meg Cummings (UWG) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Francesca Tondi/Marta Garcia-Nieto (LEE-W) def. Jordan England/Brooke Kane (UWG) 8-5
2. Sara Watson/Shelby Brown (UWG) def. Carley Sickinger/Laura Beth Hardesty (LEE-W) 9-7
3. Joanna Grzegrzolka/Ana Webber (LEE-W) def. Gabby Chanthaphaeng/Meg Cummings (UWG) 8-4