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  • 8-time NCAA National Champions
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  • 41 Individual All-Americans

#2 Emory Defeats D-II’s #5 Columbus St. 5-4

#2 Emory Defeats D-II’s #5 Columbus St. 5-4
Posted: Feb 27, 2014

The Emory University Women's Tennis Team, ranked second in Division III, earned a statement win on Thursday afternoon, defeating previously unbeaten Columbus State University, the fifth-ranked NCAA Division II squad, 5-4 at the Woodruff Physical Education Center.

Emory now stands at a perfect 6-0 to open the 2014 spring season with the victory on Thursday afternoon.  Columbus State dropped to 5-1 with the loss.

At one point in doubles play, Emory led on all three courts.  However, Columbus State was able to battle back for victories on two of the courts, winning 8-6 at first doubles and 8-4 at second doubles.  At third doubles, Emory's pairing of senior Brenna Kelly and freshman Michelle Satterfield were able to salvage a point, holding on for an 8-3 win over their counterparts.

Emory won the first singles point of the day, with Satterfield claiming a perfect 6-0, 6-0 win at fourth singles over Saravinder Pannu.  Also earning wins in straight sets were sophomore Beatrice Rosen at third singles over Camila Tobar, 6-2, 6-1, and sophomore Madison Gordon at sixth singles over Laura Chapman, 6-3, 6-3.  At second singles, Emory junior Rebecca Siegler suffered a 6-4, 6-3 loss to Beatriz Leon.

With Emory leading 4-3 in the team score, the remaining two singles matches would each go into a third set.  Emory freshman Melissa Goodman would drop a hard-fought 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 decision to Olivera Jokic at fifth singles, but senior Gabrielle Clark would pull out a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win over Paola Cigui in the first singles match to secure the team win for the Eagles.

Clark's win to clinch the match was made even more impressive by the fact that it came against Cigui, the second-ranked player in Division II to start the spring season.  Clark now has 86 career singles victories, tied with former Eagle Zahra Dawson for the second-most in the program's history.

Emory will be back in action on Saturday, March 1st, when half the squad will head to play at Clayton State University at 2:00 PM, while the other half will remain home to take on Meredith College at 4:30 PM.