Wednesday, 03/07/2012

Milledgeville, Ga.----The Wingate University women’s tennis won two of three doubles matches and did not surrender the advantage, taking a 6-3 NCAA Division II victory over number 16 Georgia College Wednesday afternoon at the Centennial Center Tennis Facility on the GC campus.

Wingate improves to 7-2 overall with the victory, while Georgia College falls to 4-3 overall. The Bulldogs avenge a 6-3 loss to the GC Bobcats on Feb. 13, 2011 in Wingate. The Bulldogs return home to face Coker College Friday at 11 a.m. The GC Bobcats visit the University of West Georgia Friday at 1 p.m.

Bulldog freshman Tiffany Williams (Cary, N.C.) won the decisive match for the visitors, taking a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Bobcat freshman Sara Roberts (Kennesaw, Ga.) at the number six singles flight. Williams was one of two double winners for Wingate Wednesday, as she teamed with sophomore Olivia Poole (Boca Raton, Fla.) to outlast GC sophomore Ivana Marevic (Rottweil, Germany) and freshman Leah Pridgeon (Lawrenceville, Ga.) 9-8 (6) in the number three doubles contest.

Wingate sophomore Morgan Winston (Lawrenceville, Ga.) also earned two victories against the Peach Belt Conference members. In doubles, she paired with senior Sam Alschlager (Indian Trail, N.C.) to top Roberts and junior Michelle Lingner (Dunwoody, Ga.) 8-4 in the number three doubles match. Later, Winston survived a three-set marathon to earn a 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 triumph over Pridgeon at the number four singles spot.

Bulldog junior Kelli Ferguson (Concord, N.C.) earned a team point with her victory over Lingner at the number five singles flight. A Capital One Academic All-America® candidate, Ferguson claimed a 7-5, 6-3 decision. Freshman Becca Thomas (Alpharetta, Ga.) defeated Marevic 6-0, 6-1 at the number two singles spot.   

NCAA Division II women’s tennis box score
Wingate 6, #16 Georgia College 3 (at Milledgeville, Ga.)

Singles
Lisa Setyon-Ortenzio (GC) def. Ali Evers (WIN) 6-1, 6-3
Becca Thomas (WIN) def. Ivana Marevic (GC) 6-0, 6-1
Kayla Barksdale (GC) def. Olivia Poole (WIN) 6-4, 6-2
Morgan Winston (WIN) def. Leah Pridgeon (GC) 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
Kelli Ferguson (WIN) def. Michelle Lingner (GC) 7-5, 6-3
Tiffany Williams (WIN) def. Sara Roberts (GC) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles
Setyon-Ortenzio/Barksdale (GC) def. Evers/Thomas (WIN) 8-6
Poole/Williams (WIN) def. Marevic/Pridgeon (GC) 9-8 (6)
Winston/Sam Alschlager (WIN) def. Lingner/Roberts (GC) 8-4

Records: Georgia College 4-3 (#16 nat’l), Wingate 7-2 (#8 region)