UWF Women's Tennis Becomes Back-to-Back GSC Champions with 5-2 Victory Over Valdosta State

April 22, 2012

No. 2-Seeded and No. 9-Ranked UWF Wins 12th GSC Championship

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The No. 1-seeded and No. 9-ranked University of West Florida women’s tennis team (21-6) became back-to-back Gulf South Conference (GSC) Champions today as the Argos defeated No. 2-seeded Valdosta State (10-10), 5-2, in the finals of the GSC Women’s Tennis Championships in Montgomery.

The UWF women have now won 12 GSC Championships. West Florida went a perfect 8-0 during the regular season in GSC play to earn the No. 1 seed in the tournament. Valdosta State went 5-2 in conference play to earn the No. 2 seed. In UWF’s final home match of the regular season, the Argos tallied a 6-3 victory over Valdosta State. UWF recorded 5-0 victories over No. 8-seed Christian Brothers and No. 4-seed West Alabama yesterday to advance to the finals.

Valdosta State won two of the three doubles matches. At No. 1, Sara Braun and Alina Nagel defeated the No. 18-ranked doubles duo of Shelia Smiley (Richmond Hill, Ontario) and Caitlyn Baines (Ft. Walton Beach), 8-6. Tina Trautmann and Maja Ehses defeated Argonauts Hannah Durham (Hammond, La.) and Fernanda Amaral (Curitiba, Brazil), 8-3, at the No. 3 position. UWF’s lone doubles victory came at the No. 2 line where Mariana Sonnervig (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Luiza Sonnervig (Sao Paulo, Brazil) defeated Michelle Fischer and Juliana Boehm, 8-6.

West Florida was down 2-1 going into singles, but the Argos won the first four completed singles matches to clinch the GSC Championship. At the No. 3 singles position, Luiza Sonnervig defeated Ehses, 6-4, 6-1. Smiley tallied a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Trautmann at No. 4. Baines needed three sets to defeat Nagel, 2-6, 7-5, 6-2, at No. 5. Durham recorded a straight set, 6-0, 6-3, victory over Nicole Hernandez at No. 6. All remaining matches were halted once UWF clinched the victory.

West Florida, which is the No. 3-ranked team in the South Region, will find out its postseason plans on Tuesday. The NCAA Division II Women’s Tennis Selection Show will air on NCAA.com on Tuesday, April 24th, at 7:30 p.m. central. Information on UWF’s postseason play and recaps of UWF’s remaining matches will be available on GoArgos.com. For information on all UWF Athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.

#ARGOS#

No. 1 West Florida 5, No. 2 Valdosta State 2
04/22/12 at Montgomery, Ala. (Lagoon Park Tennis Center)
Gulf South Conference Tournament Finals

Singles Competition
1. Match Not Finished
2. Match Not Finished
3. Luiza Sonnervig (UWF) def. Maja Ehses (VSU) 6-4, 6-1
4. Sheila Smiley (UWF) def. Tina Trautmann (VSU) 6-4, 6-1
5. Caitlyn Baines (UWF) def. Alina Nagel (VSU) 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
6. Hannah Durham (UWF) def. Nicole Hernandez (VSU) 6-0, 6-3

Doubles Competition
1. Sara Braun/Alina Nagel (VSU) def. No. 18 Sheila Smiley/Caitlyn Baines (UWF) 8-6
2. Luiza Sonnervig/Mariana Sonnervig (UWF) def. Michelle Fischer/Juliana Boehm (VSU) 8-6
3. Tina Trautmann/Maja Ehses (VSU) def. Hannah Durham/Fernanda Amaral (UWF) 8-3

Match Notes
No. 1–seed West Florida wins GSC Tournament Championship
West Florida 21-6; National ranking #9; South Region #3
Valdosta State 10-10
-- www.GoArgos.com –