ROME - The Georgia Southwestern tennis teams split a pair of matches at Shorter University on Tuesday at the Walt Attaway Tennis Complex with the men stealing the show in their upset of the ranked Hawks.
GSW MEN 5, SHORTER 3
The Georgia Southwestern men's tennis team is off to its best start since joining the NCAA in 2007 and kept its momentum going with a 5-3 upset of Shorter University on Tuesday. The Hurricanes had their best showing against Valdosta State, the NCAA preseason No. 1, back on the 20th and today they defeated the 10th-ranked NAIA program.
It's safe to say the Hawks were caught off guard by Coach Sewell & Co. as Shorter had defeated GSW by a combined match score of 33-3 over the past four years.
Joseph Bjerregaard and Ryan Bartz opened doubles with a victory at No. 2. Stephen Moore and Chris Eastwood put GSW ahead 2-1 with their win at No. 3.
With the advantage after doubles play, GSW needed to at least split the six singles matches for the overall win. They earned the three wins they needed and the match was called with Bjerregaard still on the court at No. 3 singles with Arturo Lifshitz.
Jake Koonce improved his record to 4-1 in singles for the Blue & Gold with a convincing 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 5 singles. Moore and Eastwood earned won on both the doubles and singles sides. Moore won his singles match, the closest of the day, 7-6, 6-3 at No. 2. Eastwood made a little easier work of Grayson Jones at No. 6 with a 6-2, 6-2 win.
| Singles competition |
| 1. Romain Ferriera (SHORTER) def. Yvan Ruelle (GSW-M) 6-1, 6-0 |
| 2. Stephen Moore (GSW-M) def. Colt Kelley (SHORTER) 7-6, 6-3 |
| 3. Arturo Lifshitz (SHORTER) vs. Joseph Bjerregaard (GSW-M) unfinished |
| 4. Florain Etienne (SHORTER) def. Ryan Bartz (GSW-M) 6-0, 6-2 |
| 5. Jake Koonce (GSW-M) def. Cody Carr (SHORTER) 6-0, 6-0 |
| 6. Chris Eastwood (GSW-M) def. Grayson Jones (SHORTER) 6-2, 6-2 |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Romain Ferriera/Florain Etienne (SHORTER) def. Yvan Ruelle/Matt Vansant (GSW-M) 8-4 |
| 2. Joseph Bjerregaard/Ryan Bartz (GSW-M) def. Colt Kelley/Cody Carr (SHORTER) 8-5 |
| 3. Stephen Moore/Chris Eastwood (GSW-M) def. Grayson Jones/Arturo Lifshitz (SHORTER) 8-4 |
GSW is now at .500 for the spring with a 3-3 record.
GSW WOMEN 0, SHORTER 8
The Georgia Southwestern women's tennis team suffered an 8-0 defeat at the hands of Shorter University (8-2) on Tuesday afternoon in non-conference action.
The Lady Hurricanes (3-3) best opportunity for a point against the Lady Hawks, the 15th-ranked program in NAIA, came at No. 2 doubles where Mollie McGowan and Ginny Jones dropped an 8-6 decision to Margot Vetter and Alicia Gallard.
Jones won a team-high five games at No. 4 singles.
| Singles competition |
| 1. Margot Vetter (SHORTER) def. Carly Cangelosi (GSW-W) 6-1, 6-2 |
| 2. Aurore Beltrando (SHORTER) def. Kalie Douberly (GSW-W) 6-2, 6-1 |
| 3. Aurelie Gaborit (SHORTER) def. Mollie McGowan (GSW-W) 6-0, 6-0 |
| 4. Iesha Holton (SHORTER) def. Ginny Jones (GSW-W) 6-2, 6-3 |
| 5. Alicia Gallard (SHORTER) def. Melinda Vansant (GSW-W) 6-1, 6-1 |
| 6. Quincey Mason (SHORTER) vs. Jessica Rigdon (GSW-W) unfinished |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Candice Laurent/Aurelie Gaborit (SHORTER) def. Carly Cangelosi/Kalie Douberly (GSW-W) 8-1 |
| 2. Margot Vetter/Alicia Gallard (SHORTER) def. Mollie McGowan/Ginny Jones (GSW-W) 8-6 |
| 3. Iesha Holton/Aurore Beltrando (SHORTER) def. Melinda Vansant/Holly Craig (GSW-W) 8-0 |
Both GSW squads resume Peach Belt Conference play on Friday with 2 p.m. matches against Lander at the the Susan K. Smith Tennis Complex.