Feb. 7, 2006

Results

The Lady Bulldogs traveled to Johnson City, Tennessee, this weekend for a 2-match date at East Tennessee State University. The women met Kennesaw State at 9 a.m. and ETSU at 1:30 p.m.

In the first match, the Lady Bulldogs scored first by taking the doubles point with wins at #1 and #2 doubles. From there, the Lady Bulldogs were able to secure singles wins at #1, #2 and #3 to get the 4 points needed for the win.

''Both Charlene Tsangamwe and Batsi Bvunzawabaya were a bit under the weather, but despite not feeling good they both showed a lot of heart in their match,'' commented coach Thomas Colvin.

Tsangamwe got a straight set win at #1 singles, 6-3, 6-3, after teaming with Bvunzawabaya #1 doubles for an 8-3 win. Bvunzawabaya's Tennis Supporters match at #4 singles was stopped when the Lady Bulldogs linched the fourth point.

Shaniek played one of the better matches of her career today in winning in straight sets, Colvin said. There really wasn¹t a let down in the 2nd set, which really shows some maturity on her part. Pinder won 6-2, 6-3 at #2 singles and teamed with Monique Jones at #2 doubles for an 8-3 win. Jones got off to a hot start, cooled off and started again in her 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 win at #3 singles, clinching the win for the Lady Bulldogs. This was a pretty good Kennesaw State team that we played. They were nationally ranked at Division II. ''I'm glad that the ladies were able to get a solid win against them before playing ETSU'' commented Colvin.

In the second match, the Lady Bulldogs met the host ETSU team.

This is a solid team that Coach Brooks has here at ETSU. They play at a high level and are very good from top to bottom. ETSU got out early on the Lady Bulldogs with very strong play and powerful strokes. Both doubles teams were on their heels for the first 5 games of the matches before getting adjusted to the pace. Both doubles teams went down to an 8-3 score, surrendering the doubles point for the first time this season to ETSU.

In singles, the strong play from ETSU continued with all of the Lady Bulldogs losing the first set and none winning more than 3 game except Monique Jones at #3. Jones came from a 3-4 deficit in the first set to take the set, 7-5.

''This was a very fast indoor surface and it took us a while to catch up to the pace of the floor and the power of ETSU's players,'' coach Colvin commented.

In the second sets, the Lady Bulldogs stepped up their play and turned it into a tennis match.

Tsangamwe fought from a 5-2 second set deficit to tie the set at 5-5 before finally falling at 7-5.

Pinder battled from a 1-6 first set to a 4-6 second set.

Jones, who won her first set, made it to a super tie-break, but faltered there at 4-10.

Bvunzawabaya lost 3-6, 4-6, but battled in both sets.

Brittany Woodgett showed marked improvement in her 0-6, 0-6 loss at #5 singles.

The Bulldogs will travel to Montgomery to face Alabama State on Feb. 11.