Atlanta, Ga.--The 54th-ranked Georgia State women's tennis team avenged a loss in last season's Colonial Athletic Association Championship finals with a 4-3 win vs. No. 43 William & Mary Saturday afternoon at the Bill Moore Tennis Center.

Junior Whitney Byrd took the clinching match with a 7-6, 3-6, 6-2, win at No. 4 singles. Georgia State has now defeated three ranked opponents in its last five tries. The Panthers now have nine wins against ranked opponents under fifth-year head coach Miha Lisac. William & Mary is the third of 10 ranked opponents on GSU's schedule this season.

"It was a good weekend of tough competition for us," Lisac said. "We came up just short against Georgia Tech adn came out on top against William & Mary, that is what will happen when you play top-level competition."

Georgia State rallied after it dropped the doubles point to the Tribe. Freshman Masa Grgan dominated on the way to a 6-0, 6-0, win at No. 5 singles to knot the score early at 1-1. Sophomore Abigail Tere-Apisah earned a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 1 singles after Grgan won to give GSU the 2-1 advantage.

"Abigail has done an oustanding job coming back in herfirst match and winning the second match after sustaining an ankle injury early during the weekend," Lisac said, "She is showing she is not only extremely talented but also one of the toughest players out there."

Freshman Chaimaa Roudami earned a 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 6 singles over William & Mary's Katie Kargl to set the Panthers up in position to secure the match. Byrd won her match after Roudami's triumph to clinch the victory.

GSU's next match is on Feb. 9 against ETSU. It's the first home match for the Panthers this season and it will be hosted at Piedmont Park (2 p.m.).

Visit www.GeorgiaStateSports.com leading up to the match for a preview of Georgia State's 2012 home opener.

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