Match #1: Samford 7, Kennesaw State 0 | Box Score
Records: Samford (1-1), Kennesaw State (0-1)
Up Next: Friday, January 27 at Chattanooga
 
BIRGMINGHAM, Ala. – After a lengthy weather delay on Sunday that forced the matches indoors, the Kennesaw State women's tennis team dropped a 7-0 decision to Samford at the Samford Tennis Complex.
 
"We played a good match against Samford and the match was a lot closer than the final result shows," said Director of Tennis Eduardo Rincon. "We played very close first sets but unfortunately none of those went our way. We definitely had chances on almost every court. I feel like we made improvements today in all positions and the team is excited to get back to work and prepare for Chattanooga on Friday night."
 
After the Bulldogs won the doubles point, the Owls came out in singles and hung tough late into the night on Sunday. Samford, though, pulled out tightly-contested first sets in positions 1, 2, and 3.
 
In No. 1 singles, Laura Hopton jumped out to a quick lead before Savanna Wood responded and claimed the first set 7-6 in a tiebreaker. Christina Perez-Martin played a close opening set versus Ellie Gerlach, and Kennedy Craig also forced a first-set tiebreaker against Elsa Pool. The Bulldogs went on for victories in each match.
 
Freshman Aspen Jarrett played a back-and-forth match against Nadine de Villers that went the distance. Jarrett dropped the first set 6-4, won the second set 7-5, but couldn't finish off her competitor in the third-set tiebreaker and fell 10-8.
 
The Owls return to action Friday night at Chattanooga.
 
Doubles
1. Hepp/Gerlach (SAM) def. Hopton/Craig (KSU) 6-3
2. Wood/Beltrame (SAM) def. Perez-Martin/Jarrett (KSU) 6-1
3. Pool/Jupp (SAM) def. Cantrell/Tijani (KSU) 6-3

Singles
1. Savannah Wood (SAM) def. Laura Hopton (KSU) 7-6, 6-2
2. Ellie Gerlach (SAM) def. Cristina Perez-Martin (KSU) 7-5, 6-1
3. Elsa Pool (SAM) def. Kennedy Craig (KSU) 7-6, 6-4
4. Arianna Beltrame (SAM) def. Jada Tijani (KSU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Nadine de Villiers (SAM) def. Aspen Jarrett (KSU) 6-4, 5-7, 10-8
6. Annika Hepp (SAM) def. Jessica Cantrell (KSU) 6-1, 7-6

To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State women's tennis news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUWomensTennis or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.

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