ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The second-seeded Saints are marching on to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament final for the first time in program history after besting third-seeded University of North Georgia in the PBC Tournament semifinal at the Flagler Tennis Center, 4-1, Wednesday afternoon.
 
The No. 14 Flagler College women's tennis team, who is ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional ranking, will now head to top-seeded Columbus State University for the final Saturday, May 1 at 1 p.m. This championship match will be a re-match of the Saints' lone conference loss earlier in the season as Flagler will attempt to redeem itself with a win, which would also hand CSU its first PBC regular-season or tournament loss since 2016.
 
"Our girls were very excited to host the first round of conference," Flagler head coach Rodrigo Puebla said. "We came out a bit nervous as we knew North Georgia always comes out very strong from the beginning, but we flipped the switch and were able to play very good doubles and win the doubles point. After doubles, we struggled some, but we were able to get the three points that we needed to head to the program's first PBC Tournament final. While this win is exciting, we have to re-focus for an always tough, strong CSU team. I know the girls will be ready to play for a championship Saturday."
 
The duo of Paloma Martinez/Eden Schlagenhauf started the Saints' surge in doubles as the No. 3 doubles took the 6-1 win before the pair of Luisa Hrda/Amelie Vossgaetter secured the point on court one. No. 16 North Georgia (11-4) evened the score after Cibeles Zuddy took the match from Alessandra Traub on court three, but then the Saints (14-4) ripped off three straight singles' wins to clinch.
 
First, it was Vossgaetter re-taking the lead on court five to get back on track in singles, and then No. 31-ranked Hrda edged out a pair in the top position for her sixth win in a row for the 3-1 advantage. The clinch-matching came in No. 4 singles as Anika Nissen gritted out a set-one, 7-5, victory and followed it up with a 6-2 win to close the door to the Nighthawks. After dropping their first sets, No. 24-ranked Schlagenhauf and Florencia Massardo Brain were battling back in set three to keep the opportunity to clinch open for Nissen's third straight singles' win.
 
 
#14 Flagler 4, #16 North Georgia 1
4/28/21 at St. Augustine, Fla. (Flagler Tennis Center)
 
Singles competition
1. #31 Luisa Hrda (FLG) def. Vaishali Jorge (UNGW) 7-5, 6-4
2. #24 Eden Schlagenhauf (FLG) vs. Anna Markvartova (UNGW) 6-7 (5-7), 6-0, 5-5, unfinished
3. Cibeles Zuddy (UNGW) def. Alessandra Traub (FLG) 6-1, 6-2
4. Anika Nissen (FLG) def. Annie Adams (UNGW) 7-5, 6-2
5. Amelie Vossgaetter (FLG) def. C. Labonte Frey (UNGW) 6-4, 6-1
6. Flo. Massardo Brain (FLG) vs. Johanna Lippert (UNGW) 5-7, 6-3, 2-1, unfinished
 
Doubles competition
1. Luisa Hrda/Amelie Vossgaetter (FLG) def. Vaishali Jorge/Johanna Lippert (UNGW) 6-4
2. Alessandra Traub/Flo. Massardo Brain (FLG) vs. Anna Markvartova/Annie Adams (UNGW) 3-5, unfinished
3. Paloma Martinez/Eden Schlagenhauf (FLG) def. C. Labonte Frey/Cibeles Zuddy (UNGW) 6-1
 
Match Notes
North Georgia 11-4; National ranking #16
Flagler 14-4; National ranking #14
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,5,1,4)
Peach Belt Conference Tournament - Semifinal match
#3 North Georgia at #2 Flagler
 

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