ATLANTA (Mar. 8, 2009) The Georgia State women's tennis team defeated CAA foe, UNCW, 6-1 on Sunday at the Sharon E. Lester Tennis Center in Piedmont Park. Featured senior, Kiara Powell, played all of her matches on court 1, earning a singles victory to improve her mark to 3-2 on the season.
The Panthers secured the early doubles point for an early lead over the Seahawks. Diana Nakic and Linda Hricistova cruised to an 8-1 win over UNCW's Lauren Fuenning and Lindsay Leblang. Shortly after, the 70th-ranked doubles tangent of Martina Nitkova and Katerina Gresova clinched the point with an 8-3 win over Priscilla Roberts and Chelsea Kahle. Dariana Kozmina and Kiara Powell couldn't hold on to sweep the Seahawks as they fell 8-7(5) to Lauren Isenhour and Kayla Schwenk at No. 2.
No. 65 Diana Nakic grabbed Georgia State's first singles point by defeating Kayla Schwenk 6-3, 6-0 at No. 1 to improve to 6-1 on the year. Martina Nitkova overwhelmed the Seahawks' Christina Lee in straight sets, with a 6-3, 6-2 victory at No. 3 to improve the Panthers' lead to 3-0. Dariana Kozmina clinched the match victory with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Priscilla Roberts at No. 2 and Martina Ondrackova extended the score to 5-0 with a 7-6, 6-4 win over Lindsay Leblang at No. 6. Kiara Powell, playing on court 1 as the match's featured senior, battled Lauren Isenhour in a come-from-behind victory. Powell dropped the first set 3-6 but fought back to win 7-5 in the second, and eventually defeated Isenhour 10-6 in the third to earn the Panthers' last point.
The Seahawks picked up its only singles win in the last match of the day as Katerina Gresova fell in three sets, 7-6, 3-6, 10-6 to Chelsea Kahle at No. 4.
The loss is the first of the season for the Seahawks as Georgia State improves to 4-3 on the year.
Georgia State returns to action this week with back-to-back matches in Mobile, Ala. The Panthers are scheduled to take on No. 68 South Alabama on Tuesday, Mar. 10th and Indiana State on Wednesday, Mar. 11th before returning home on Sunday, Mar. 15th for their final home match of the season against ETSU.
Doubles
1. No. 70 Martina Nitkova/Katerina Gresova (GAST) def. Priscilla Roberts/Chelsea Kahle (UNCW) 8-3
2. Lauren Isenhour/Kayla Schwenk (UNCW) def. Dariana Kozmina/Kiara Powell (GAST) 8-7(5)
3. Diana Nakic/Linda Hricistova (GAST) def. Lauren Fuenning/Lindsay Leblang (UNCW) 8-1
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles
1. No. 65 Diana Nakic (GAST) def. Kayla Schwenk (UNCW) 6-3, 6-0
2. Dariana Kozmina (GAST) def. Priscilla Roberts (UNCW) 6-0, 7-5
3. Martina Nitkova (GAST) def. Christina Lee (UNCW) 6-3, 6-2
4. Chelsea Kahle (UNCW) def. Katerina Gresova (GAST) 7-6, 3-6, 10-6
5. Kiara Powell (GAST) def. Lauren Isenhour (UNCW) 3-6, 7-5, 10-6
6. Martina Ondrackova (GAST) def. Lindsay Leblang (UNCW) 7-6, 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2, 6, 5, 4
