SUMTER, S.C. | The Georgia College & State University women's tennis team opened up competition at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II Southeast Regional Championships Friday (Sept. 22) at the Palmetto Tennis Center.

Georgia College started the day with doubles. Lincoln Memorial University's Rosalie Carrier-Dulac and Adrianna Pellizzari defeated the Bobcat duo of Chiara Santoro and Ashley Bentz 8-6. GSCU's doubles team od Jada Young and Ashton Morrison, who are seeded eighth in the draw, received a bye in the first round and will face Young Harris College's Emily Bush and Luciana Bejarno in the second round at 9 a.m. Saturday (Sept. 22).

All four players also were in the singles draw. Morrison dropped her first round match against Wingate University's Claudia Vellejos 6-1, 6-3. However, Georgia College won each of its second round matches. Young, who is seeded eighth, defeated Natasha Forrest (Carson-Newman University) in three sets. Young dropped the opening set 6-3 before claiming back-to-back 6-4 wins in sets two and three. Bentz and Santoro downed their opposition in straight sets. Bentz defeated Nellie Wahlberg (Lenoir-Rhyne University) 7-5, 6-2, while Santoro claimed a 6-4, 6-4 decision over Francis Marion University's Chelsea Seidewitz.

Singles play continues Saturday as Morrison will face Lenoir-Rhyne's Runa Muderrisoglu in a 2 p.m. consolation contest. Bentz, Young and Santoro will compete in the third round of the main draw. Bentz will face Carson-Newman's Leah McBride at 3:30 p.m., while Young faces Columbus State University's Yelena Labat at 4 p.m. and Santoro takes on Newberry College's Margarita Roshka at 4:30 p.m.

About GCSU Athletics
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among public schools in Division II in back-to-back academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won three straight Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence and is a two-time winner of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and a three-time winner of the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in post-season competition as well as high-level academic success and community service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life." Sign up at @GCSUBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports.