The Georgia State women’s tennis team made history on Friday by winning its first match in the NCAA tournament.
The Panthers knocked off Tennessee 4-3 in Chapel Hill, N.C. The victory was the first for the any female program in school history in eight previous appearances in the NCAAs.
“We have talked about some things this season, some of the accomplishments this team has had and the different firsts,” coach Robin Stephenson told Georgia State’s sports information office. “We’ve talked about the history that’s been made this year, so they knew coming in and took pride in it. They were motivated but that was just extra knowing and understanding what kind of legacy they could leave behind and how high they could set the bar.”
That history was clinched when Chaimaa Roudami won at No. 6 singles, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3. The Panthers will face North Carolina on Saturday.
Marcia Tere-Apisah and Tarani Kamoe clinched the doubles point, 8-2, over Brittany Lindl and Victoria Olivarez. Linn Timmermann and Roudami won the first doubles match, 8-5.
“The doubles point really set the tone,” Stephenson said. “Our doubles has come such a long way because we’ve worked on it. I was so impressed that we came out and won at Nos. 2 and 3 and then just put our foot on the gas and didn’t let off.”
In singles, Abigail Tere-Apisah hammered Eve Repic, 6-2, 6-0. Timmerman took her match 6-4, 6-1. Tennessee won the matches at Nos. 2, 4 and 5 singles before Roudami clinched the victory.
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