VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 13 Georgia College Women's Tennis team (1-2) fell to No. 3 St. Leo University (1-0) 7-2 in non-conference action in Valdosta Saturday afternoon. The loss handed the Bobcat women their second defeat of the season, both coming at the hands of nationally-ranked opponents.

The Bobcats jumped on the Lions early, leading by an overall team score of 2-1 after the three doubles contests. Georgia College saw wins from the duo of Macy Polk (Powder Springs) and Cristalei Polk (Powder Springs) as well as Katie Krupp (Evans) and Jena Kelly (Lawrenceville).

First-slot doubles finished first as Kristen Jones (Marietta) and Camille Clausse-Pujo (Bordeaux, France) duelled with St. Leo's Natalia Siedliska and Anastasia Wagner. Jones and Clausse-Pujo competed to keep things close; however the duo would fall in an 8-5 battle.

Finishing next was second singles, with the tandem of the Polk sisters. The two went on to defeat Marine Beugre-Guyot and Katherine Zaatini, by a score of 8-4. The victory handed the Bobcats their first win of the day. Krupp and Kelly gave the Bobcats the 2-1 team lead with a decisive win over Isabella Robbiani and Pauline Helgesson, 8-6.

After gaining the lead, the Bobcat women struggled in singles matches. They went on to be swept in all seven contests.

The fourth-slot singles match finished first, as sophomore Emma Niemi (Cumming) lost the contest to No. 10 Beugre-Guyot. Next, in the first slot, Clausse-Pujo was downed by No. 3 Siedliska 6-2, 6-1.

With the team victory still yet to be decided, Hannah Serdinia (Suwanee) took Coralie Pesenti to a three sets. Serdinia won the first 6-1, but then dropped consecutive sets 6-1 and 6-3.

Rounding out the day for the Bobcats were Jones, Macy Polk and Cristalei Polk. Jones suffered a tight 6-4, 6-3 loss at the hands of Wagner while Macy and Cristalei Polk fell 6-3, 6-4 and 6-4, 6-0 respectively.

The team will look to get back on the winning path as they open Peach Belt Conference (PBC) play hosting Flagler College at the Centennial Center Tennis Facility Sunday, Feb. 14.  

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.

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