SPARTANBURG, S.C. – After dropping the doubles point, the University of South Alabama rallied in singles play to defeat the USC Upstate women's tennis team 6-1 Sunday afternoon in nonconference action at the Upstate Tennis Complex, snapping the Spartans' four match winning streak.
The Spartans (12-6) opened the day, falling 8-3 at No. 1 doubles as Julie Bell and Taylor Cohen lost to South Alabama's (14-8) Mchaela Meszarosova and Emily Newton. At the No. 2 slot, Isabel von Stryk and Talia Rojas picked up an 8-5 victory for Upstate against Cinta Papke and Mary Angela Martin.
Allison Beeler and Constanze Kuerten held on to an 8-6 victory at No. 3 doubles to clinch the point for the Spartans as the pair defeated Paula Sanchez and Sibela Gajer. This marked the fifth straight match Upstate has won the doubles point.
The Jaguars got their revenge in singles action, sweeping singles 6-0. Sanchez earned a 6-3, 6-0 win against Upstate's Sarah Vande Berg on the sixth court, while Meszarosova garnered a 6-2, 6-4 victory over von Stryk at No. 1 singles. Rojas fell to Martin 6-3, 6-2 at the No. 3 position, while Newton decided the match for USA with a 6-3, 6-3 win against Kuerten at No. 2 singles.
The senior duo of Bell and Beeler tried to make their last home match as Spartans last just a little bit longer as both kept playing long after the match was decided. At No. 4 singles, Beeler dropped her first set 6-1 to Ramona Ghermani, before rallying back to claim a 6-2 win in the second set. Ghermani went on to win the third set 7-6 (5-0). On the fifth court, Bell lost her first set to Papke 6-2, but came back and took the second set 6-2. Papke finished the singles sweep for the Jaguars with a 7-6 (3-0) final set.
Upstate returns to action April 12, traveling to Kennesaw State for a 10 a.m. Atlantic Sun Conference match. Follow the Spartans this season on your mobile device, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
South Alabama 6, USC Upstate 1
Apr 07, 2013 at Spartanburg, S.C. (Upstate Tennis Complex)
| Singles competition |
| 1. Meszarosova, Mchaela (USA) def. Isabel von Stryk (UPSTW) 6-2, 6-4 |
| 2. Newton, Emily (USA) def. Constanze Kuerten (UPSTW) 6-3, 6-3 |
| 3. Martin, Mary Angela (USA) def. Talia Rojas (UPSTW) 6-3, 6-2 |
| 4. Ghermani, Ramona (USA) def. Allison Beeler (UPSTW) 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (5-0) |
| 5. Papke, Cinta Maria (USA) def. Julie Bell (UPSTW) 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (3-0) |
| 6. Sanchez, Paula (USA) def. Sarah Vande Berg (UPSTW) 6-3, 6-0 |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Meszarosova, Mchaela/Newton, Emily (USA) def. Taylor Cohen/Julie Bell (UPSTW) 8-3 |
| 2. Isabel von Stryk/Talia Rojas (UPSTW) def. Papke, Cinta Maria/Martin, Mary Angela (USA) 8-5 |
| 3. Allison Beeler/Constanze Kuerten (UPSTW) def. Sanchez, Paula/Gajer, Sibela (USA) 8-6 |
| Match Notes |
| South Alabama 14-8 |
| USC Upstate 12-6 |
| Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,1,3,2,4,5) |
