FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of West Alabama women's tennis team notched its first Gulf South Conference win as UWA topped North Alabama, 5-4 on Tuesday afternoon. The Lions of UNA the Tigers in the men's match, 5-4.
The win is the 14th of the season for the women's squad. The UWA men fell to 16-7 on the season.
The UWA women claimed a pair of doubles points before heading into the singles portion of the match. The Red and White pairing of Angy Cuellar and Brittney Bowden turned in an 8-5 win over UNA's duo of Victoria Rees and Jessica Keehn. UWA claimed the point at No. 3 due to a forfeit by UNA. UWA claimed the three clinching points at the bottom of the line up as Cuellar, Katy Shoptaugh and Polina Babkina turned in singles wins. Cuellar registered a 6-0, 6-3 decision over Keehn at No. 5. At No. 5, Shoptaugh blanked UNA's Jordann Pester, 6-0, 6-0. Babkina was credited with a walk over at No. 6.
In the men's duel, UNA took a 2-1 advantage after doubles play as the Tigers' No. 3 tandem of Juan Felipe Tellez and Wade Covington outlasted UNA's team of T.J. Drake and Carlos Cardenas, 8-6. The match featured a trio of three-set thrillers as Danish Ahmad claimed one of those at No. 4. Ahmad dropped the opening set, 6-3, to UNA's Jan Miskos before storming back to win the next two 6-4, 6-1. Tellez and Benny Delgado Rochas dropped their respective matches in three sets. Covington topped Clint Johnson, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 5, while Lucas Cruz carded a 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 6 over Drake.
UWA returns to GSC action on Thursday, April 8 against the Chargers of UAH. Match time is set for 2 p.m. in Huntsville, Ala.
