BRUNSWICK, Ga. – The Fire faced SCAD-Savannah for the second time in 12 days today, and the result was very different. For the second consecutive year, Southeastern University eliminated No. 7-ranked Bees in the Sun Conference Semifinals, flipping the script and earning a dominating 4-0 victory on Thursday morning to secure a return trip to the championship match.
Tied 1-1 in doubles, Southeastern seized the momentum with a thrilling win at the top doubles position. Carlotta Nonnis Marzano and Irene Lopez rallied to take five of the final six games against Yue Yu and Lisa Konrad, winning the set in a tense tiebreaker, 7-6 (9-7). Lopez and Marzano would go on to secure singles victories, with Lopez striking first and Marzano clinching the match.
The Bees took the early lead in doubles as Francina Puig Llompart and Cherry Xiang blanked SEU's No. 3 team of Isabella Bolivar Garces and Irene Parigi, 6-0. But the Fire quickly responded: Alessia Ciampi and Neleah Neiberline returned the favor with a 6-0 win over Chloe Cobianchi and Adeline Flanagan at No. 2 doubles.
That set the stage for the deciding battle at No. 1. Marzano and Lopez trailed 5-4 and faced match point at 30-0 before mounting a dramatic comeback. They won two of the next three games to force a tiebreaker, then clawed back from a 6-4 deficit to win 9-7, giving SEU the doubles point.
Lopez opened singles play with a dominant 6-0, 6-0 victory over Lauren Ulrich at No. 5. Ciampi followed with a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 6 over Cobianchi, before Marzano sealed the match at No. 1 with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Xiang.
Three singles matches went unfinished:
- Yu led Bolivar Garces 6-1, 5-4 at No. 2.
- Parigi held the edge over Puig, 6-1, 3-3 at No. 3.
- Neiberline and Flanagan were tied at a set apiece, 1-6, 6-1 at No. 4.
With the win, Southeastern advances to the Sun Conference Championship Match for the second straight year. The Fire will face No. 1 Keiser University in a rematch of the 2024 final. First serve is set for 10:00 a.m. on Friday.
