WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — After a tough season-opening loss at top-ranked Barry University Saturday, the sixth-ranked Flagler College women's tennis team got back on track with a 5-2 victory at Palm Beach Atlantic University Sunday afternoon.
"It was good for the team to come and bounce back from our first loss yesterday," Flagler head coach
Rodrigo Puebla said. "Barry is a legit program and will be a contender for another national title. Against the nation's top team, some of us played well, especially knowing that was our first match of the season, and then today, the team's amazing preseason prep showed in our play.
"We were physical and played very good at moments. PBA was very feisty and did not give us anything for granted. However, we have to keep getting better and confident as we have a long season ahead of us. We need everyone to be their best at every match."
Once the Saints (1-1) stepped on the courts at the Mitch Gornto Tennis Center, the eagerness to play was apparent. The duo of
Eden Schlagenhauf and
Alessandra Traub secured the first doubles point, and then
Alice Benvegnu/
Luisa Hrda secured it on court one to take the 1-0 lead.
Sixth-ranked Hrda cruised to a straight-set win (6-2, 6-0) — followed by a win on court three by Traub (6-4, 6-1) — before Schlagenhauf (6-3, 6-4) gave the Saints a 4-0 lead on court two to clinch the victory. PBA (0-1) took a point on courts six and four, but between those points,
Anika Nissen (6-3, 6-1) won on court five to seal the 5-2, season-opening victory.
The Saints will have the week off to prepare for 20th-ranked Auburn University at Montgomery Saturday at 1 p.m. back at the Flagler Tennis Center.
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