SAINT AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The Valdosta State women's tennis team came up just short in a 4-3 loss at No. 21 Flagler on Wednesday afternoon.  With the loss, VSU fell to 2-4 on the year, while Flagler improved to 4-2. 
 
In doubles play, Flagler tandem of Leonie Floeth and Charlotta Buss downed Blazer freshman duo of Natalie Rainke and Aneta Poborilova, 6-4.  Floeth/Buss raced out to a 3-0 lead, before Rainke/Poborilova battled back for a 4-3 deficit.  The teams split the next two games for a 6-4 win for Flagler at No. 2 doubles. 
 
Moments later, juniors Olivia Pezo and Kayla Greco won 6-2 over Flagler tandem of Addie Breunich and Eryka Kruk, 6-2.  Coming down to the top spot, Blazer junior Viktoriia Fedorova and freshman Denisa Hanakova gave No. 6-ranked doubles team of Dana Heimen and Najia Meier everything they could handle as the Blazer duo held a 5-4 lead, before Flagler rallied winning the next three games and the team point. 
 
The Blazers evened the match at 1-1 with a retirement at No. 6 singles as Flagler did put in a player on that line as sophomore Evelyn Altmaier earned the win there.  Meier, ranked No. 2 nationally in singles, won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 1 over Rainke for a 2-1 lead, while Floeth won 6-1, 6-3 over Greco at No. 4 for a 3-1 lead and Flagler clinched the match at No. 5 as Kruk won 6-0, 6-3 over Pezo. 
 
Despite the loss, the teams played out the match and the Blazers gained some momentum and experience winning the final two courts as Poborilova won 1-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-7) at No.3, and Hanakova won 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8) at No. 2 for the final 4-3 score. 
 
VSU's men's and women's matches with Lee on Saturday at the VSU Tennis Complex have been postponed due to the threat of inclement weather and will be rescheduled at a later date, while the Blazer women's team will battle Division I University of Connecticut at the VSU Tennis Complex on Monday, Mar. 11 at 10 a.m.