Flushing, N.Y.--Georgia State junior Abigail Tere-Apisah fell 6-4, 6-3 to in the Round of 16 to eighth-seeded Lauren Herring (Georgia) at the 2012 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championship on Friday.

Tere-Apisah is the first player in Georgia State women's tennis history to earn an invite and earn a victory at the prestigious tournament held at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center. She defeated No. 28-ranked Kata Szekely from Tennessee on Thursday by a 6-2, 7-5 margin.

The GSU junior gave a valiant effort in a marathon final game of the match that lasted nearly 16 minutes. However, Herring eventually earned a break to close out the match and end Tere-Apisah's upset bid of the eighth-seeded Herring. Only three of the top eight seeds remain in the main draw at the tournament after two were upset on the first day and three were knocked on Friday.

Herring and Tere-Apisah have now dueled twice on the national stage. Their first meeting came in the semifinals of the ITA Southeast Regional Championship with the sophomore from Georgia taking a grueling 6-4, 6-4 win against Tere-Apisah. Herring won her first round match 6-1, 6-1 vs. UNC's Whitney Kay.

Georgia State, led by sixth-year head coach Miha Lisac, now begins preparations for the spring season. The Panthers went 11-7 last season and fell narrowly to VCU in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship finals. Visit the women's tennis page on GeorgiaStateSports.com for updates throughout the team's offseason.

www.GeorgiaStateSports.com