MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University women's tennis team opened its season with a comeback victory, 4-3, over Middle Tennessee, Saturday.
The Governors (1-0) came back from being down 1-0 and 2-1 to kick off the season with a win.
The Blue Raiders (0-1) won the doubles point with two slim victories at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. The team of Danielle Morris and Helena Kuppig were tied 5-5 at No. 3 doubles, but their match went unfinished.
The Govs started off strong in singles, with Kuppig and Lidia Yanes Garcia each winning the first set of their matches. Claudia Yanes Garcia also won the first set of her match, but MTSU held strong, winning the first set in the other three singles matches.
MTSU pushed their lead to 2-0 with a straight-set win at No. 6 singles, but Kuppig won her match at No 4 singles (6-4, 6-2) just seconds later to cut the lead to just 2-1. Lidia also finished off her opponent at No. 1 singles in straight set (7-5, 6-3) and suddenly the match was tied at 2-2.
Despite Claudia losing the second set, Morris and Tatiana Lopez each won their second sets to even their matches up at one set a piece.
However, Claudia and Lopez were clutch for APSU, with Claudia giving the Govs their first lead of the day with a 6-4 win in the third set. Lopez, who was tied 4-4 in the third set, seized control late, winning the last two games of the third set to clinch the season's first victory for Austin Peay.
The Govs will travel to Chattanooga, 1 p.m., Sunday, pending the weather.
Results
Doubles
1. Costanza Magazzini/Zani Barnard (MT) def. Lidia Yanes Garcia/Claudia Yanes Garcia (AP) 6‐4
2. Luisa Zirilli/Kim Kermet (MT) def. Tatiana Lopez/Honoka Nakanishi (AP) 6‐4
3. Marta Peris Herrero/Lee Barnard (MT) vs. Danielle Morris/Helena Kuppig (AP) 5‐5, unfinished
Singles
1. Lidia Yanes Garcia (AP) def. Costanza Magazzini (MT) 7‐5, 6‐3
2. Claudia Yanes Garcia (AP) def. Kim Kermet (MT) 6‐4, 1‐6, 6‐4
3. Tatiana Lopez (AP) def. Lidia Burrows (MT) 5‐7, 6‐1, 6‐4
4. Helena Kuppig (AP) def. Lee Barnard (MT) 6‐4, 6‐2
5. Zani Barnard (MT) def. Danielle Morris (AP) 6‐7, 6‐4, 7‐5
6. Luisa Zirilli (MT) def. Ana Albertson (AP) 6‐2, 6‐3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (6,4,1,2,3,5)
