VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's tennis team showed its grit early, capturing the doubles point in dramatic fashion, but ultimately fell 5-2 to No. 4 Nova Southeastern in a hard-fought match that featured multiple three-set battles on Friday.  
 
The upset-minded Valdosta State women's tennis team opened the match in thrilling fashion, capturing the doubles point after it came down to court No. 3.  The Blazer duo of junior Kitti Nemeth and senior Carmelle Vial rallied for a dramatic 7-6 (7-5) to clinch the point.  It marked the second time since 2019 VSU has taken a team-point from NSU in the past four meetings.  
 
NSU (2-0) earned a win at No. 1 doubles, where the top-ranked tandem of Kristyna Hranacova and Katja Markus edged senior Lena Beckx and junior Milica Prokic, 6-4.  VSU answered at No. 2 doubles as sophomore Ivana Castillo Hurtado and junior Ena Arnautovic claimed a 6-4 in a match full of momentum swings, setting the stage for the decisive No. 3 court heroics.  
 
The Sharks opened singles play leveling the match at 1-1 at No. 6, with Noemie Dadoun defeating Arnatovic 6-2, 6-1.  The Blazers quickly responded as junior Charleigh Fay earned a strong 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles over Amina Sagadiyeva, giving VSU a 2-1 lead.  
 
NSU regained control with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 3, while the final three matches proved tightly contested, with Nos. 2 and 5 going the distane.  Katja Markus secured a pivotal point for the Sharks at No. 2, rallying past Prokic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to give NSU a 3-2 advantage.  The Sharks clinched the match at No. 5, though senior Carmelle Vial battled hard in a three-set loss to No. 23 Chloe Henderson, 6-4, 4-6, 1-6. 
 
The match concluded at No. 1 singles where Beckx faced No. 4-ranked Hranacova in a high-level battle. Hranacova claimed the opening set 7-5, but Beckx pushed the second set to a tiebreak after holding a 6-5 lead.  Beckx erased an early 3-0 deficit in the tiebreaker, winning four-straight points, before Hranacova closed it out 8-6.
 
Despite the loss, Valdosta State (1-1) showed significant improvement from last season against one of the nation's top programs and defending national runner-up.  The Blazers return to action on Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. at the VSU Tennis Complex versus Embry-Riddle.