BOONE, N.C. - App State women's tennis pulled out a thrilling 4-3 win over Troy on Saturday afternoon at Rivers Street Courts.
App State improves to 5-10 on the season and moves to 4-4 in Sun Belt action. The Mountaineers have won 17 straight home contests and are 4-0 at home.
In a fitting finish in which it came down to the two seniors in María José Zacarias and Sandra Anglesjö, the duo needed three-set finishes to clinch the triumph for the Black and Gold.
With the Trojans leading 3-2, Zacarias tied up the contest with a 7-5, 5-7, 7-5 win against Matea Mihaljevic in a matchup between the No. 1's in the lineup.
Anglesjö provided the clinching victory after her counterpart forced a third set. The two foes went to a tiebreaker in which the senior captured, 7-3, and the match.
After Troy won the doubles point, the Black and Gold won the four singles matches to claim the contest.
Ksenia Aleshina won a convincing straight-set match as the No. 2 over Anastasii Khokhlova, 6-2, 6-0, giving App State its first point. Helena Jansen followed her teammate with a 6-3, 6-2 topping over Shevita Aulana.
Troy won the next two finished matches to take a 3-2 advantage.
Aleshina/Zacarias also notched a doubles victory for their fourth straight win as a tandem.
App State aims for a weekend sweep tomorrow at 12 p.m. against South Alabama at Rivers Street Courts. Appalachian will recognize Anglesjö and Zacarias before the match for Senior Day.
Singles
1. María José Zacarias (APP) def. Matea Mihaljevic (TROY), 7-5, 5-7, 7-5
2. Ksenia Aleshina (APP) def. Anastasii Khokhlova (TROY), 6-2, 6-0
3. Helena Jansen (APP) def. Shevita Aulana (TROY), 6-3, 6-2
4. Michelle Ncube (TROY) def. Virginia Poggi (APP), 7-5, 6-3
5. Sandra Anglesjö (APP) def. Kristina Kukaras (TROY), 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3)
6. Anastas Khrustaleva (TROY) def. Peri Tippins (APP), 6-1, 6-0
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 4, 6, 1, 5
Doubles
1. Zacarias/Aleshina (APP) def. Khokhlova/Khrustaleva (TROY), 6-1
2. Ncube/Wilding (TROY) def. Anglesjö/Jansen (APP), 6-3
3. Mihaljevic/Svitlica (TROY) def. Poggi/Tippins (APP), 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
