Strong doubles play provided the recipe for success as the NAIA No. 1-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College women's tennis team scored a decisive 5-0 victory against No. 6 William Carey University (Mississippi) in Friday afternoon's GGC Spring Invitational opening match at the GGC Tennis Facility.
The Grizzlies (9-0) needed only 20 minutes to capture the match's doubles point, getting a pair of 6-0 triumphs.
Sophomores
Selina Pichler and
Iryna Lysykh were victorious on the No. 2 court – the duo's 10th victory of the season. Senior
Maria Genovese then teamed with sophomore
Stephanie Fernandez to clinch the doubles point win a win on the No. 1 court.
GGC was also dominant in singles to wrap up the match within another 55 minutes.
Genovese started the rally with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph on the No. 1 court and Lysykh picked up a straight-set victory at No. 3 to extend the host's lead to 3-0 in the match.
Simultaneous victories by Pichler at No. 2 and sophomore
Ale Ferrer at No. 4 secured the victory.
Freshman
Cassidy Mataia made her collegiate debut, teaming with Ferrer at No. 3 doubles. The duo was leading 3-1 when the match was stopped after the match's doubles point was clinched.
The Grizzlies have now won 51 straight matches dating back to the 2019 season.
"Today was an incredible performance and the players are really starting to hit their stride. We're a really solid team and it was nice to see our newcomer Cassidy (Mataia) get her feet wet in doubles action," said Head Coach
Chase Hodges.
Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to resume the GGC Spring Invitational by hosting NCAA Division II University of Texas-Tyler on Monday, March 7, from the GGC Tennis Facility, starting at noon.
