LIVINGSTON, Ala. — The University of West Alabama women’s tennis team earned a spot in the 2008 Gulf South Conference Tournament with an 8-1 win over in-state rival Montevallo on Tuesday at the Howard R. Vaughan Tennis Complex on the UWA Campus.  This year’s entry into the GSC post season event marks the first time the Tiger women have competed in the event in the program’s history.  UWA also swept the season series with the Falcons.

The Tigers got off to a great start, claiming two of the three doubles points.  The Red and White duo of Mariana Freitas and Chenge Tsapayi ousted UM’s Dorothy Sherman and Kelley Vaughn 8-1 at court two.  The UWA tandem of Rachel Hardaway and Amanda Morgan staved off UM’s pairing of Terrylisa Abdool and Audrey Carrio, 9-8 (3).

In singles, Tsapayi blanked Sherman 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 while Freitas turned back UM’s Kristi Kelly 7-5, 6-1.  Playing in her last home match at UWA, Hardaway clinched the match at No. 5 with a straight set, 6-3, 3-3 win over Vaughn.  Nicole Shanahan, Brittany Williams and Amanda Morgan split the first two sets with their opponent but won the tie-breaker set in all three matches.

The Falcon’s lone point came at No. 1 doubles with UM’s duo Kelly and Rachel Hartley topping UWA’s top-pairing of Shanahan and Williams.

UWA returns to the hardcourts on April 12, visiting Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss.  The Tigers will tangle with North Alabama on April 14 in Florence, Ala. before heading to Montgomery, Ala. for the GSC Tournament on April 19-20 at Lagoon Park.