Results

COLUMBUS, Ga. – The No. 21-ranked Northeastern State women's tennis team lost a close 5-4 decision to No. 8 Columbus State Monday afternoon at the Mary Blackmon Tennis Center.
 
The match was the first of three for the RiverHawks (5-2) as part of their week-long spring break trip. They will next face Johns Hopkins, the No. 1-ranked team in NCAA Division III, at 5 p.m. March 17. They will wrap up their trip with a match at 1 p.m. March 19 against No. 7 West Florida. The final two matches will be held in Pensacola, Florida.
 
The match with the Cougars began strong for the visitors as the junior duo of Kristina Savchenkov and Patricia Husakova earned the first point of the day with an 8-2 win over CSU's top tandem of Beatriz Leon and Giorgia Vitale.
 
Columbus State (10-0) then evened the bout when Elena Preadca and Olivera Tadijin topped sophomore Valeriia Efimenko and freshman Easton Parker 8-5 on the third court. CSU took the doubles portion of the day when Camila Tobar and Kirsa Utech defeated NSU's freshman team of Molly Worden and Daria Panferova 9-7 at the second position.
 
Singles competition swung early in the favor of the home team as the Cougars earned points in the first two decisions. First Tobar topped senior Barbora Jirickova 6-1, 6-0 at the fifth position, then No. 12-ranked Leon avoided an upset with a 6-3, 6-2 win over No. 17 Savchenkov from the top of the order.
 
Northeastern State tried to mount a comeback by winning the next three matches, but Columbus State was able to pick up a three-set victory in the final match to knock off NSU.
 
Efimenko got the comeback started when she defeated Vitale 6-1, 6-4 on the third court, and then Husakova topped Utech 6-2, 6-3 from the second position.
 
Panferova knotted proceedings when she dispatched of Saravinder Pannu 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 on the bottom court, but Tadijin earned the team victory when she came from a set down to defeat Worden 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 on the fourth court.
 
Tennis Match Results
Mar 16, 2015 at Columbus, Ga.
(Mary Blackmon Tennis Center)
 
#8 Columbus State 5, #21 Northeastern State 4
           
Singles Competition
1. #12 Beatriz Leon (CSU) def. #17 Kristina Savchenkov (NSU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Patricia Husakova (NSU) def. Kirsa Utech (CSU) 6-2, 6-3
3. Valeriia Efimenko (NSU) def. Giorgia Vitale (CSU) 6-1, 6-4
4. Olivera Tadijin (CSU) def. Molly Worden (NSU) 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
5. Camila Tobar (CSU) def. Barbora Jirickova (NSU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Daria Panferova (NSU) def. Saravinder Pannu (CSU) 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3
 
Doubles Competition
1. Kristina Savchenkov/Patricia Husakova (NSU) def. Beatriz Leon/Giorgia Vitale (CSU) 8-2
2. Camila Tobar/Kirsa Utech (CSU) def. Molly Worden/Daria Panferova (NSU) 9-7
3. Elena Preadca/Olivera Tadijin (CSU) def. Valeriia Efimenko/Easton Parker (NSU) 8-5
 
Match Notes:
Northeastern State 5-2; National Ranking #21
Columbus State 10-0, National Ranking #8
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (5,1,3,2,6,4)
 
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