LaGRANGE, GA - The 2019 USA South Conference Women's Tennis Tournament concluded on Sunday as a part of the Conference's Spring Sports Festival in LaGrange, Georgia. East top-seed N.C. Wesleyan claimed the program's second consecutive League Tournament championship with a win over West top-seed Piedmont College (Ga.), 5-0.

The Lady Bishops gained a quick 3-0 lead after the doubles wins by scores of 8-4 (Fariza A. & Milena A.) and 8-4 (Steph Barbera & Jules Johnson) at the top two lines and 8-1 at the third line (Giulia Zanetti & Nicole Halabi).

The women then clinched the match after singles wins from sophomore Julianna Johnson and senior Stephany Barbera at #4 and #6. Johnson won 6-1, 6-0 at #4 while Barbera won 6-2, 6-0 at #6.

Also leading their respective matches when the title was clinched were freshman Fariza Abdulloeva at #1 singles, freshman Milena Amedieva at #2, and sophomore Giulia Zanetti at #3. Abdulloeva, the Conference Rookie of the Year, was leading 7-5, 1-0 while Amedieva, the first team all-conference player, was leading 6-1, 5-2 and was named tournament MVP. Zanetti was also up 7-5 1-0.

The women won all three of their tournament matches by 5-0 scores to improve to 15-4 on the year and have now won 13 consecutive matches and are undefeated against D-3 competition. The Lady Bishops will find out their opponents in the national tournament when the draw is released on May 6.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Fariza Abdulloeva, N.C. Wesleyan
Milena Amedieva, N.C. Wesleyan (MVP)
Stephany Barbera, N.C. Wesleyan
Morgan Bucholz, Piedmont
Caroline Connelly, Piedmont
Julianna Johnson, N.C. Wesleyan

USA South Tournament Highlight Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=120&v=HuOJeCxhVWY