MOBILE, Ala. - For the second-straight season, Appalachian State University women's tennis (5-17) needed late-match heroics to topple its archrival Georgia Southern (10-10), 4-3, on Sunday afternoon on the campus of South Alabama.
Appalachian snaps an eight-match losing streak en route to picking up its first Sun Belt win of the season as well as head coach Blake Mosley's first SBC victory.
“This was a complete team effort today,” said Mosley. “ We worked hard all week in practice, and it showed today in the results. Georgia Southern is a well-coached team and didn't give us any free points. We had to earn this one, and I couldn't be more proud of the team today.
Heidi Swope once again owned the Eagles where she would clinch the match-winning point when the contest was tied 3-3, while she also helped capture the doubles point with McKayla Zupan. Last season as a freshman, Swope won the match for the Mountaineers when facing a one-set deficit to come all the way back to contribute to the win.
There wasn't a lack of excitement as four of six singles matches went to three sets, which App would claim three of those matches. Two of the three doubles affairs were decided by two points.
In doubles play, the duo of Gabrielle Wreder and Megan Mullen triumphed over Giulia Riepe and Aranne de Winter, 6-4. Georgia Southern's pair of Emilia Bujan/Ella Monsey dealt Melissa Machado and Taylor Bygrave a 6-4 setback to tie up the doubles portion.
With the match tied 1-1, Swope and Zupan lifted App to a 1-0 lead after downing Marianna Ranzaheur/Lindsay Truscott in an exciting 6-4 clash.
In singles play, Rebecca Morse fought back from a one-set deficit to defeat De Winter 0-6, 6-3, 6-4, for her sixth win of the season. Machado bounced back from doubles play with a hard-earned 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 win over Truscott as the No. 4 in the lineup.
Wreder suffered a 6-4, 6-3 setback to Bujan as the No. 3 in the lineup while Bygrave fell to Ranzahuer in three sets (0-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3). Mullen was defeated in a valiant effort in the No. 6 slot to Ella Monsey, 7-6 (8-6), 6-1.
App will look to ride the momentum against Elon on Wednesday at 12 p.m. to finish the regular season.
