VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's tennis team split the first two doubles matches but came up just short in a 7-5 loss in the third as No. 1 Barry went on for a 7-0 victory Saturday morning at the VSU Tennis Complex.
 
The Blazers fell to 1-3 on the year, while Barry improved to 8-1.  VSU's No. 3 doubles tandem of senior Valentina Jimenez and sophomore Natalie Rainke won 6-3 to split the first two matches of doubles.  Seniors Olivia Pezo and Kayla Greco gave Viktoriia Dema and Louane Lutringer at No. 2 doubles everything they could handle, but the Barry duo came away with a 7-5 victory to clinch the team point.
 
In singles, Pezo won the first set at No. 3 over Lutringer, 6-2, but dropped the second set 7-5 and Lutringer won the super tiebreaker after the match already had been clinched.  Barry won in straight-sets in each of the other five matches.  Rainke had the task of battling top-ranked Alina Michalitsch at the top spot in the lineup.  Michalitsch won 6-2 in the first set, but Rainke fought tough in the second set, falling 7-5. 
 
The Blazers host Georgia Gwinnett on Monday at 10 a.m. at the VSU Tennis Complex.