VALDOSTA, Ga. –  The Valdosta State women's tennis team gave No. 18 West Florida all it could handle in a 5-2 loss to the Argos Friday afternoon at the VSU Tennis Complex.  The Blazers fell to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in Gulf South Conference play, while UWF improved to 7-3 overall and 4-0 in GSC play.
 
UWF won all three doubles match to claim the team point, but freshman Alyssa Nova and senior Olivia Pezo, playing at the No. 1 spot, gave No. 9-ranked Carlota Verdu and Sandra Recuenco Tarin a great match, falling 6-4.  The Argos won 6-4 at No. 2 as Nathalia Mossambani and Luiza Daud won 6-4 over senior Viktoriia Fedorova and sophomore Natalie Rainke, while seniors Kayla Greco and Valentina Jimenez fell 6-3 to Aline Midori and Guadalupe Martinez at No. 3.
 
Martinez, ranked No. 66 nationally, won 6-1, 6-3 over Greco at No. 4 singles for a 2-0 UWF lead, but Rainke, ranked No. 38, defeated Verdu, ranked No. 46, at the top spot, 6-2, 6-1 and Novoa won 7-5, 6-4 at the No. 2 spot over Recuenco for a 2-2 score.  Alberte Jorergensen won 6-3, 6-2 at No. 6 over Jimenez for a 3-2 UWF lead and No. 63-ranked Midori won 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 at No. 3 over Pezo to clinch the match.  Mossambani won 7-6, 6-1 at No. 5 over Fedorova in the final match. 
 
The Blazers had their match with Lynn cancelled due to the impending weather in Valdosta later this weekend.  VSU now will head to Pensacola, Fla., to face Delta State on Mar. 14 at 3 p.m. ET and then versus West Alabama on Mar. 15 also at 3 p.m. ET.