Tennis teams aiming to finish season strong

The Georgia College tennis teams have been busy, playing 12 games in two weeks and finishing Spring Break at the White Sands Invitational in Pensacola, Fla.

On March 11, the No. 9 men’s team lost 7-2 to No. 11 Lander University. In their third Peach Belt Conference loss of the season, the Bobcats fell behind 2-1 in doubles and dropped the bottom three singles matches.

The No. 30 women’s team defeated Lander 8-1. Dominating the doubles portion 3-0 and crushing the singles portion 5-1, the ladies deserved this win.

“I think we’re going to keep rolling with the season. If we keep up with our energy and focus, we could finish the rest of the season undefeated.”

Robert Angelucci, Junior

“The girls are playing really well right now, competing really hard and playing tough,” Bobcats Head Coach Steve Barsby said.

On March 18, the Bobcat men defeated Erskine College 8-1. The Bobcats jumped out to lead 2-1 in doubles and swept the singles portion of the game 6-0.

On March 20, the women’s tennis team defeated the University of Montevallo 9-0 at home for another Peach Belt Conference win. Again, the Bobcat ladies swept the doubles portion of the match 3-0, and Georgia College crushed the singles portion 6-0 to seal the deal.

At the White Sands Invitational on March 23, the men lost 7-2 to No. 5 University of West Florida in their first day of tennis. The Bobcats did not surrender easily, battling it out but eventually falling to the UWF team. The Argos commanded the lead 3-0 in doubles, but Georgia College did not go down without a fight, and the men took two in the singles portion of the match.

 

According to junior Robert Angelucci the loss was disappointing but beneficial.

“The loss sort of snapped us out of a funk and we had convincing wins the rest of the week,” Angelucci said.

The women’s tennis team lost a tough match, 7-2 to the University of West Florida at the tournament.

The Bobcats fell early in doubles 2-1, and only managed one victory in singles even though three matches went to tie-breakers.

On March 24, the Bobcat men defeated No. 12 Drury University 6-3 at the tournament. In this heated battle, Georgia College jumped out in front to lead 2-1, then continued by winning singles 4-2.

The No. 30 women’s team defeated higher ranked No. 27 Drury University 8-1 at the tournament, winning one for the underdogs. The Bobcats took an early lead winning doubles 3-0, and continued their streak to only drop one of the singles matches.

Sophomore Kayla Barksdale was proud of her team’s work at the tournament.

“I think we played really well. We really worked hard, battling teams we couldn’t battle last year,” she said.

The men defeated No. 48 Delta State University 8-1 on March 26, earning their second-straight win. The Bobcats commanded the lead at 3-0 after the doubles portion of the match, and kept up the pace winning singles 5-1.

The Bobcat ladies defeated Delta State University 6-3 at the tournament. Again, Georgia College jumped out to an early lead, winning the doubles portion 2-1. The Bobcats held that lead through the singles competition, winning 4-2 and earning the victory.

On March 27, the men dominated the University of North Alabama, winning 9-0, but the women’s team faced defeat, losing 5-4.

Up next on the schedule, the Bobcats take on Georgia Southwestern at home on April 2 beginning at 1 p.m.

Barsby thinks positively about the upcoming games in the rest of the season.

“We expect to win every time we go out there, whether that happens or not,” Barsby said.

“I think we’re going to keep rolling with the season,” Angelucci said. “If we keep up with our energy and focus we could finish the rest of the season undefeated.”