Clayton News Daily

From staff reports

After dropping three straight matches to top-10 ranked teams by a 5-4 score, the sixth-ranked Clayton College & State University women's tennis team bounced back in a big way on Sunday, downing Peach Belt Conference opponent the University of North Carolina Pembroke 8-1 at the Clayton State Tennis Complex.

The Lakers swept all three doubles matches and five of the six singles matches, dropping only the No. 6 singles by forfeit. Clayton State will face off against another Peach Belt Conference rival on Wednesday, hosting Kennesaw State University in a 2 p.m. match. With the win, the Lakers improve to 7-4 on the season and 6-3 in the Peach Belt.

Clayton State raced out to a 3-0 lead in doubles with top seed Jackeline Nieto and Elizabeth Syrova winning at No. 1 doubles 8-2 over Stacey Wood and Erin Saltzman.

CCSU second seed Natalia Koulechova and Daniela Petkova won 8-1 over Natalie Dies and Abi French, while third seed Nathalia Collantes and Kim Lennartsson won 8-2 over Lauren Losoncy and Shannon Gentry at the third seed.

In singles, Nieto defeated Wood 6-3 and 6-3 at the top seed, while second-seeded Koulechova blanked Saltzman 6-0 and 6-0. Laker third seed Syrova also won in straight sets 6-0 and 6-0, while fourth seed Lennartsson won 6-1 and 6-2 over French. CCSU's Petkova won 6-0 and 6-2 at the fifth seed.

UNCP's Losoncy won the sixth seed by default.