No. 18 Gulf Coast grinds out 5th straight

PERKINSTON — No. 18 Mississippi Gulf Coast had to grind out its fifth straight victory to start the season Friday by beating No. 23 Meridian 6-3.

"We only won one of three doubles because Meridian came out on fire," Gulf Coast coach Gary Bourgeois said. "I told them to stay the course. It was expected and to stay within themselves, just do the things they do in practice."

Anna Stringer (Fr., Stone/Wiggins) and Kaylen Bond (Fr., Stone/Perkinston) won their No. 2 doubles match, and Gulf Coast got two wins in the top three singles matches that all went three sets.

Krissy Georgieva (Fr., Epsom and Ewell High School/Sutton, England) battled back to win 4-6, 6-4, 13-11 at No. 1 singles, and Noni Charlton (Fr., Ipswich School/Ipswich, England) won 6-4, 3-6, 10-4.

Tia Topps (Fr., Grenada/Grenada) clinched the day with a straight sets win at No. 5 singles, and Chasity Snyder (Fr., Florence/Florence) battled illness for a final W at No. 6.

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday when Central Alabama visits Perk. First serves in the women's only showdown is at 1 p.m.

Results

Team: Gulf Coast 6, Meridian 3

Doubles

No. 1: Zoe Freke-Elisva Latu (MER) def. Krissy Georgieva-Noni Charlton 8-6

No. 2: Anna Stringer-Kaylen Bond (GC) def. Rachel VanHorn-Tessa Ward 8-4

No. 3: Autumn Welborn-Britney Murphree (MER) def. Tia Topps-Chasity Snyder 8-3

Singles

No. 1: Georgieva (GC) def. Freke 4-6, 6-4, 13-11  

No. 2: Charlton (GC) def. Latu 6-4, 3-6, 10-4

No. 3: VanHorn (MER) def. Stringer 6-3, 0-6, 10-6

No. 4: Bond (GC) def. Ward 6-0, 6-1

No. 5: Topps (GC) def. Murphree 6-2, 6-3

No. 6: Snyder (GC) def. Welborn 6-2, 6-1

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