Box Score FULTON, Mo. – The Fire finished off their time in the mid west in a big way. Isabella Bolivar Garces rallied in the third set of the third singles and helped Southeastern University double up Middle Georgia State, 4-2, to capture fifth place at the ITA NAIA National Duals.
With her team leading 3-2 in the completed matches, Bolivar Garces dug deep and rallied in her singles bout against fifth-ranked Middle Georgia State's Ainhoa Meili Fernandez. The Fire graduate student took the opening set, 6-2, before Fernandez evened the match in the second set, 4-6. After Bolivar Garces grabbed the opening set of the third set, Fernandez won the next three games and five of the ensuing six games for a 5-2 lead. Bolivar Garces, though, would not be denied as she turned the momentum and ran off a five-game winning surge for the 7-5 victory.
The Fire took the doubles point, 2-1, and won three of the four singles finished matches for the victory over teh Knights. SEU fell in a closer 4-3 final to Lindsey Wilson in the first round, before it shut out William Woods, 4-0, on Saturday morning for the opportunity to play for fifth place today.
Leading off the match in doubles, Carlotta Nonnis Marzano and Irene Lopez Suero teamed up at the top pairing for a 6-4 win over Tamanna Takoria/Berta Castello of Middle Georgia State. Alessia Ciampi and Martina Picardi made it two Fire wins as they took second doubles by a 6-3 final over Meili Fernandez/Marina Prieto.
Along with Bolivar Garces third singles comeback win, Picardi and Lopez Suero at second and sixth singles claimed the other two victories, both in straight sets. Picardi took care of Prieto by 6-4 and 6-3 scores. Lopez Suero gave up only one game in a 6-0 and 6-1 final against Takoria.
The Knights won two other 3-set singles matches at number one and five.
SEU returns to action on February 13 when they travel to Embry-Riddle in a 3:30 p.m. match.
SEU 4, Middle Georgia State 2
Doubles
1 – Carlotta Nonnis Marzano/Irene Lopez Suero (SEU) def. Tamanna Takoria/Berta Castello – (6-4)
2 – Alessia Ciampi/Martina Picardi (SEU) def. Ainhoa Meili Fernandez/Marina Prieto – (6-3)
3 – Isabella Bolivar Garces/Neleah Neiberline (SEU) led Aya El Marrasse/Yana Prihach – (5-4)
Singles
1 – Castello (MGS) def. Marzano – (6-3, 2-6, 6-0)
2 – Picardi (SEU) def. Prieto – (6-4, 6-3)
3 – Bolivar Garces (SEU) def. Meili Fernandez – (6-2, 4-6, 7-5)
4 – El Marrasse (MGS) led Parigi – (4-6, 6-2, 5-4)
5 – Prihach (MGS) def. Ciampi – (6-4, 2-6, 7-5)
6 – Lopez Suero (SEU) def. Takoria – (6-0, 6-1)
