Box Score

KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State women’s tennis team’s 16th win of the season couldn’t have been any sweeter as it won a five-hour Atlantic Sun Conference marathon match over Campbell, 4-3, on Friday afternoon.

With the match tied at 3-3, senior Agatha Palider found herself in a very familiar position. This was the third time this season that the outcome of her singles match would determine whether Kennesaw State would walk away with a big win or a heartbreaking loss. Just like she did in the previous two matches the senior stepped up when her team needed her most and came away with a huge comeback win at the No. 4 singles spot 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

“This win puts us in the conference tournament so I am definitely pleased about that, but we have to take care of the rest of our conference schedule, and just concentrate on getting better, before the tournament,” head coach Jeffery Kutac said. “This was a great team effort today, and even though we lost the doubles point I thought we came out with some great energy in singles. Vera, Tess and Morgan were able to get us three singles wins, and the match came down to a veteran senior player and she was able to get it done for us."

The win not only moves the Owls to 16-4 (5-2 A-Sun) and fourth place in the conference, but it also had a great significance in several other areas. First, the win clinched the Black and Gold its second-consecutive A-Sun Tournament appearance after they made it for the first time last season. Second, the victory gave Kennesaw State a little payback over Campbell as it was the Camels who ended the Owls season last year in the A-Sun Tournament. Lastly, the win is the Black and Gold’s 16th overall win of the season as that ties the school record for most overall wins in a season since the program was started back in 1992. The 1993 and 1994 teams, who played in the NAIA, also had 16 overall wins.

Junior Vera Shkundina played an excellent match at the No. 1 singles position as she used consistency and a level head to beat Campbell’s Lisa Sutton 6-2, 6-3.

Sophomore Therese Lagerkvist and junior Morgan Carney each cruised in their singles matches losing only two games between the two of them at the No. 5 and No. 6 spots, respectively. Carney’s win pushed her singles winning streak to seven matches, and she is still perfect in singles play in the A-Sun at 6-0.

Kennesaw State will conclude its weekend on Saturday as it hosts USC Upstate at 2 p.m. at the Fair Oaks Tennis Center.