Championship Central
 
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. – Georgia State completed an incredible title run Sunday afternoon with a 4-2 victory over fourth-seeded South Alabama to win the women’s team title at the 2018 Sun Belt Tennis Championships.
 
Playing with only the foursome of senior Kristin Rehse, juniors Daniela Ramirez and Lara Vovk and sophomore Damira Muminovic, Damira, Georgia State pulled off a gutsy win that started with taking the doubles point.
 
The second-seeded Panthers, down 2-1 going into singles due to walkovers at the Nos. 4 and 5 positions, got straight-set wins from Muminovic at No. 3 and Vovk at No. 4 to go up 3-2 on the Jaguars. The clincher came down to Rehse, the 2017-18 Sun Belt Player of the Year and first-team all-conference selection, at No. 1. Rehse delivered with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory to give Georgia State its third Sun Belt women’s title (2014, 2016, 2018) in school history.
 
Earning the conference’s automatic bid to the 2018 NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championships, the Panthers now await their destination and opponent. The 64-team field will be unveiled Tuesday, May 1 at 4:00 PM CT/5:00 PM ET on NCAA.com.
 
2018 SUN BELT TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Women’s Championship
 
Match 10 - Georgia State 4, South Alabama 2
Doubles
1. Rehse, Kristin/Vovk, Lara (GSU) def. Pasanen, Milka/Palmen, Maxine (USA) 6-4
2. Muminovic, Damira/Ramirez, Daniela (GSU) def. Stiteler, Alexandria/Fujioka, Yu (USA) 6-4
3. Zolotareva, Alina/Kohoutova, Nikola (USA) def. GSU, by walkover
Singles
1. Rehse, Kristin (GSU) def. #111 Stiteler, Alexandria (USA) 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
2. Ramirez, Daniela (GSU) vs. Fujioka, Yu (USA) 7-5, 4-5, unfinished
3. Muminovic, Damira (GSU) def. Palmen, Maxine (USA) 6-1, 6-1
4. Vovk, Lara (GSU) def. Pasanen, Milka (USA) 6-4, 6-1
5. Soto, Leslie (USA) def. GSU, by walkover
6. Kohoutova, Nikola (USA) def. GSU, by walkover
 
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (5,6,3,4,1)