BRUNSWICK, Ga.- The Sun Conference Tournament for Southeastern women's tennis ended today after a 4-3 loss to Ave Maria University in the semifinal contest.
The doubles point would prove the difference maker after the Gyrenes earned a one-point lead moving into singles after registering wins at lines one and two.
Neleah Neiberline and
Irene Lopez tied the doubles contest at one with a 6-2 victory at line three but a 6-3 Gyrene win at line two gave them the eventual match-deciding advantage.
The Fire found themselves down 2-0 after Neiberline dropped a two-set match at line four (6-1, 6-0) but a line six win by Lopez by two set scores of 6-3 cut the Fire deficit to one.
Simone Simas then tied the match for the Fire after taking a commanding line five win by scores of 6-1 and 6-2.
The recently named Sun Conference Freshman of the Year,
Micah Sypert, then came up just short in her line two match, battling her opponent for three-sets but falling by scores of 6-4, 3-6, and 6-2 to give the Gyrenes the 3-2 match lead.
A three-set, come-from-behind victory at line one by
Martina Picardi again tied the contest. The First Team All-Conference selection dropped set one 7-6 but battled from behind to take the next two sets by scores of 6-4 and 6-2.
The Sun Conference semifinal came down to the line three match between Andrea Rodriguez and
Beatrice Letizia, a match that needed extra sets to decide the place in tomorrow's SUN finals.
Letizia came out strong with a 6-4 set one win but was unable to fend off Rodriguez, dropping the next two sets 6-4 and 6-2.
The No. 6 ranked Fire will now wait to see if they will receive an at-large bid into the National Tournament.
