MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The No. 5-seed Valdosta State women's tennis team battled back from a 3-2 deficit for a thrilling 4-3 win over No. 4-seed Lee in the first round of the 2019 Gulf South Conference Championship. 
 
VSU advances to the semifinal round where it will face top-seeded and No. 17-ranked West Alabama Friday at 10 a.m. ET at Lagoon Park, while No. 3-seed Mississippi College will face No. 2-seed West Florida.  Fans can access coverage of the matches by clicking here.  VSU improved 7-13 overall, while Lee is 16-6.   
 
The Blazers won the doubles point as junior Estee Widdershoven and senior Daniella Barta defeated No. 26 Asia Grzegrozolka and Micaela Belen Maiz, 7-6 at the top doubles spot, while freshman Eva Rivoal and sophomore Hera Bork Brynjarsdottir won at No. 2, 6-2 to clinch the point.  Lee's Lauren Trammell and Sierra Donaldson downed freshman Rachel Chan-Yaneff and freshman Birte Langestein, 7-6. 
 
Widderhoven downed Grzegrzolka in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, for a 2-0 VSU lead, but the Flames won three-straight singles matches at Nos. 2, 6, 4, for a 3-2 lead.  Langestein battled back from a 6-2 loss in the opening set for a 6-1, 6-3 win in three sets for a 3-3 score. 
 
Bork Brynjarsdottir provided further excitement at the No. 5 position as she lost the first set 7-6, but won the second set 7-6 in a tiebreaker and then looked as if she was taking command of the third set with a 3-0 lead, only to see Trammel battle back for a 5-4 deficit as Bork Brynjarsdottir won the final game for a 6-4 win and a 4-3 win as a team.