Besides being awarded All-GSC East Division acollades, unranked Paola Arevalo defeated 16th ranked player from Valdosta in straight set during the final of the GSC Championships.

April 20, 2008

MONTGOMERY, Ala. In its attempt to achieve its third straight Gulf South Conference Championship, the 16th ranked West Florida Women's Tennis Team (13-10, 4-1 GSC) returned to action this Sunday, April 20th for the final match at the Lagoon Park and O'Conner Tennis Center in Montgomery, Ala. The Argonauts faced a very familiar opponent, the all-time rival fourth ranked Valdosta State (11-5, 4-0 GSC). Both teams have faced each other in the final of the last two year's event. Also in the regular season, the Blazers defeated the Argos by a 7-2 score. The Argonauts earned its spot in the final by defeating 5-3 Delta State, while the Blazers rolled 5-1 over North Alabama. In the final match, the Argos had the lead after the doubles. However, the Blazers were too much for the Argos in singles.

In Doubles, the Argonauts earned two out of three matches to get the 2-1 lead, as the third ranked duo formed by Argonauts Suzana Cavalcante (junior/Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Paola Arevalo (senior/Cali, Colombia) defeated 8-3 Dominique Rothlaender and Tina Trautmann in the first spot. In the second doubles position, the Blazers defeated 8-4 Taylor Brewster (freshman/Ontario, Canada) and Lorena Rebolledo (freshman/Puebla, Mexico) to tie the match at 1-1. The Argonauts earned the lead as the third duo formed by Renata Matos (junior/Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Tatiana Rodrigues (junior/Sao Paulo, Brazil) defeated 8-6 Blazers Natali Gunbrecht and Hollie Bees.

With the 2-1 lead, the Argos needed three wins out of six singles, while the Blazers would need four out of six wins to be declared the GSC champion. Seventh ranked Cavalcante rolled over 21st ranked Rothlaender with a 6-1, 6-2 score. In the second singles spot, unranked Arevalo defeated 16th ranked Raphaelle Durante from the Blazers with a 6-4, 6-4 score, to give the Argonauts the 4-1 lead over the Blazers. Valdosta State bounced back by winning the next three singles spots in straight sets. Mattos fell at the third spot by a 6-3, 6-4 score. Brewster and Rebolledo fell with a 6-1, 6-2 score in the fourth and fifth singles spots, respectively, to tie the match a 4-4. The clinching match at the sixth singles position, had to be decided in the third decisive set. Rodrigues fought a set down and tied the match at one set all. In the third set the sixth player in the Blazers lineup managed to win by a 6-3 score, finishing the match at 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 score. The Blazers earned the 5-4 win, its second win over the Argonauts this season. Valdosta State women's tennis wins another GSC title after three years.

With the loss, the Argonauts were declared the runner-ups of the GSC Championship and now hold a 13-10 overall record. The Argos will return to action as they qualified to the NCAA Preliminary Rounds on Thursday May 8th. The opponent and time has not been announced yet.

Doubles
#1 Cavalcante/Arevalo (UWF) def. Rothlaender/Trautmann (VSU), 8-3
#2 Redon/Durante (VSU) def. Brewster/Rebolledo (UWF), 8-4
#3 Mattos/Rodrigues (UWF) def. Gumbrecht/Bees (VSU), 8-6

Singles
#1 Suzanna Cavalcante (UWF) def. Dominique Rothlaender (VSU), 6-1, 6-2
#2 Paola Arevalo (UWF) def. Raphaelle Durante (VSU), 6-4, 6-4
#3 Natali Gumbrecht (VSU) def. Renata Mattos (UWF), 6-3, 6-4
#4 Tina Trautmann (VSU) def. Taylor Brewster (UWF), 6-1, 6-2
#5 Hollie Bees (VSU) def. Lorena Rebolledo (UWF) 6-1, 6-2
#6 Karine Redon (VSU) def. Tatiana Rodrigues (UWF), 6-3, 2-6, 6-3