Women's Tennis Upends Upstate for First A-Sun Win

MACON, Ga. – Mercer's women's tennis team notched its first Atlantic Sun Conference win of the year with its 5-2 victory over USC Upstate at MU's Leroy Peddy Tennis Center.

The Bears (3-11, 1-6 A-Sun) started the day off by earning the team point for doubles by taking two of the three tandem matches. MU claimed wins in four of the six singles competitions, as well.

Mercer won the Nos. 1 and 3 doubles bouts. At No. 1, the Bears' French duo of Jennifer Lada and Aurelie de Montjou were 8-3 winners over the Spartans' Karen Martinez and Talia Rojas. At the No. 3 slot, Amanda Bertani and Sarah Hanna scored an 8-0 blanking of Upstate's Catherine Estupinan and Samantha Knopsnyder.

Armed with a 1-0 lead heading into singles play, MU quickly advanced its advantage to 3-0 as Bertani and Hanna – playing at the Nos. 5 and 6 positions, respectively – registered quick wins. Bertani was the Bears' first match done with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Estupinan, with Hanna following a few moments later with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Knopsnyder.

At No. 3 singles, Mercer's de Montjou lost the first set to Upstate's Martinez, 7-5, but was leading 3-0 in the second when she twisted her knee and was unable to continue. That made the match score 3-1.

At the No. 1 singles match, MU's Lada rolled over the Spartans' Maria Tonani in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0, for the team point that secured the match win.

Lucie Payrat logged the Bears' fifth point of the day with her 6-4, 6-3 win over Upstate's Rojas at No. 4 singles. Upstate's final point came at the No. 2 singles match for the final 5-2 team score.