INSTITUTE, W.Va. -- The top two teams in the Mountain East Conference and the NCAA DII Atlantic Region squared off Monday evening on the campus of West Virginia State University with the Golden Eagles upsetting the Yellow Jackets 5-2 behind the solid play of their seniors.
Kristine Gegeshidze, Elise Edwards and Silvana Slusarciuc went unbeaten in both singles and doubles, accounting for three of Charleston's five points against their Kanawha Valley rival. Gegeshidze and Katie Swann paired up to sneak past State's Kirstin Hensley and Laura Isbey in a tiebreaker at No. 1 doubles while Edwards and Slusarciuc were dominant at No. 2 doubles, winning 6-1 to put Charleston ahead 1-0 going into singles play.
Keeping the theme of Charleston seniors coming up big in Monday's win, Slusarciuc put the Golden Eagles up 2-0 with an easy straight set win over WVSU's Kayla McNight at No. 4 singles. The Yellow Jackets cut the deficit in half behind Laura Isbey's victory at No. 2 singles but that momentum was short lived.  Edwards put the Golden Eagles a court way from the upset after a convincing 6-2, 6-4 defeat of State's Hannah Kruhlova, extending her Golden Eagle singles win record.  Putting the nail in the coffin for Charleston was Kristine Gegeshidze at No. 1 singles, outlasting a feisty Kierstin Hensley in three sets.  Falling behind a set, Gegeshidze rallied behind her power from the baseline eventually wearing down Hensley to capture the final two sets and clinch the UC victory.
Regina Lopez-Saucedo put the finishing touches on the Yellow Jackets with a straight set win over Nika Tadic at No. 6 singles, making the final score 5-2 in favor of the Golden Eagles.
DOUBLES
Gegeshidze/Swann (UC) def. Hensley/Isbey (WVSU) 7-6
Edwards/Slusarciuc (UC) def. Kruhlova/Miller (WVSU) 6-1
McKnight/Malo (WVSU) def. Simon/Lopez-Saucedo (UC) 6-4
SINGLES
Kristine Gegeshidze (UC) def. Kierstin Hensley (WVSU) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
Laura Isbey (WVSU) def. Katie Swann (UC) 6-3, 6-0
Elise Edwards (UC) def. Hannah Kruhlova (WVSU) 6-2, 6-4
Silvana Slusarciuc (UC) def. Kayla McKnight (WVSU) 6-1, 6-2
Chante Malo (WVSU) def. Mathlide Simon (UC) 7-5, 6-4
Regina Lopez-Saucedo (UC) def. Nika Tadic (WVSU) 6-3, 6-4
