APSU Sports Information
Cape Girardeau, MO – Austin Peay State University women’s tennis team is hitting its form at the right time, defeating Southeast Missouri in the first of two Ohio Valley Conference matches this weekend.
The Govs (7-6, 3-1 OVC) were welcomed by the return of Claudia Yanes Garcia to the lineup (again). Yanes Garcia was injured in the first match of the season, but returned against Tennessee State before being rested in the impressive midweek win against Saint Louis.
Yanes Garcia partnered with Ana Albertson to win at No. 3 doubles, as the Govs drew first blood. However, the Redhawks (4-9, 1-3 OVC) bounced back with wins at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles to claim the doubles point and take a 1-0 lead.
The battle everyone wanted to watch in singles was Lidia Yanes Garcia facing off with SEMO’s Oleksandra Doroshenko at the No. 1 position. Both players were in the OVC Preseason Top 10 that was named this spring. In the end, Lidia claimed the win with a routine 6-3, 6-3 victory and is now 12-0 in matches played at No. 1 singles this spring. The German duo of Fabienne Schmidt (No. 2 singles) and Helena Kuppig (No. 3 singles) continued their fine singles season, as they both won their matches in straight sets to give the Govs some breathing room.
SEMO picked up a win at No. 5 singles to cut into the Govs lead. Due to the top of the order, the Govs needed to win one of the remaining two singles matches at No. 4 and No. 6 to take the match. Ana Albertson and Brittney Covington got the Govs off to a flying start in that respect, as both won their first sets. However, Albertson’s opponent won the second and forced a third set. Covington went to a second set tiebreaker with an opportunity to clinch the match for the Govs and for the second time this season Covington delivered. Just like against Belmont, Covington was the Gov to put the match beyond doubt and won the match for the Govs.
The Govs play at UT Martin, 12:00pm, Saturday for a chance to go 4-1 in the OVC.
Box Score
Austin Peay 4, Southeast Missouri 3
Doubles
1. DOROSHENKO, O./ZONOVA, Kseniya (SEMO) def. Lidia Yanes Garcia/Fabienne Schmidt (APSU) 7-5
2. MAYA THOMPSON, A./LUNDELL, Maja (SEMO) def. Brittney Covington/Helena Kuppig (APSU) 7-6
3. Ana Albertson/Claudia Yanes Garcia (APSU) def. EMELIE, Anais/SICHA, Kelly (SEMO) 6-3
Singles
1. Lidia Yanes Garcia (APSU) def. DOROSHENKO, O. (SEMO) 6-3, 6-3
2. Fabienne Schmidt (APSU) def. ZONOVA, Kseniya (SEMO) 6-4, 6-1
3. Helena Kuppig (APSU) def. MAYA THOMPSON, A. (SEMO) 6-2, 6-2
4. EMELIE, Anais (SEMO) def. Ana Albertson (APSU) 4-6, 7-5, 10-4
5. SICHA, Kelly (SEMO) def. Claudia Yanes Garcia (APSU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Brittney Covington (APSU) def. LUNDELL, Maja (SEMO) 6-3, 7-6
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,2,3,5,6,4)
