By Sean Montgomery, Sports Information Student Assistant
VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 13 Georgia College Women's Tennis team (1-1) travelled Friday for a contest against the Blazers of Valdosta State University (1-0). The Bobcat women fell 7-2 in non-conference action.
The Bobcat women struggled to get much going against a tough Blazer squad. Georgia College dropped all three doubles matches and four out of six singles matches on the day.
Senior Camille Clausse-Pujo (Bordeaux, France) and sophomore Kristen Jones (Marietta) played first slot-doubles for the Bobcats. The matchup pitted the duo against Valdosta State's Bea Morales Hernandez and Josephine Jedrychowski. Hernandez and Jedrychowski won 8-4.
Katie Krupp (Evans) and Emma Niemi (Cumming) finished next in third-slot singles. Krupp and Niemi battled back-and-forth but would eventually fall in a close 8-6 match to Laura Ubeda and Sabrina Schmidt. Jena Kelly (Lawrenceville) and Macy Polk (Powder Springs) also fell in doubles action to Daniella Barta and Anke Poncelet, leaving the Bobcats trailing the Blazers 3-0.
Jones met Ubeda in a singles contest, as the two dueled in the second slot. Ubeda defeated Jones in two sets, each by a score of 6-2. Finishing next was the fourth-slot matchup of Kelly and Schmidt. Kelly fell behind early after a 6-0 first set, however she battled hard in the second to make it a contest, eventually falling 6-4.
With Valdosta State holding a 4-0 lead in the overall team score, the Blazers only needed one more win to complete the team victory. It came in the next match as national No. 22 Hernandez once again met up with Clausse-Pujo. The Bobcat senior was defeated 6-2 and 6-4 in straight sets, sealing the win for the Blazers.
In the third slot, Macy Polk and Valdosta State's Jedrychowski were locked in a three-set battle. Macy Polk dominated the first set 6-1, before dropping the second 4-6. The third and final set was a back-and-forth contest, but eventually Jedrychowski went on to earn the 10-4 victory.
Niemi and Cristalei Polk (Powder Springs) garnered the lone wins for the Bobcats on the day. The two, playing in the fifth and sixth-slots, respectively pulled the overall team score to 7-2.
Cristalei Polk defeated Joanna Lario 6-3, 7-5 and Niemi won the matchup with Poncelet, taking both sets 7-6.
The Bobcat women will be back in action in Valdosta tomorrow, Feb. 6 as they prepare to take on No. 3 St. Leo University. Match time is set for noon.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at @GCBobcats on social media for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit GCBobcats.PhotoReflect.com to purchase photo prints from home athletic contests.
###
