MORROW, Ga. -- The top-ranked and two-time defending NCAA Division II national champion Armstrong Atlantic rebounded from its first loss of the season by knocking off Clayton State 8-1 in Peach Belt Conference action on Friday afternoon.
The Pirates (5-1, 4-0 PBC) remained unbeaten in conference play with the win against the short-handed Lakers (1-9, 0-4 PBC), who saw their losing streak reach six with the setback.
Clayton State had just five healthy players for the match, so Armstrong picked up points at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles before the match began. The Pirates won the other two doubles matches quickly to take a 4-0 lead as the No. 2-ranked duo of Aleksandra Filipovski and Barbora Krtickova beat Zinnia Leamana 8-1 at No. 1 doubles, while the No. 6-ranked duo of Marlen Hacke and Olga Kalodzitsa downed Kristlin Mets and Raluca Pavel 8-2.
In singles play, the Pirates won four of the five singles matches played in consecutive sets. No. 15-ranked Krtickova beat Leamana 6-0, 6-1, at No. 1 singles, while No. 16-ranked Hacke downed Pavel 6-1, 6-2, at No. 2 singles. Carolina Prats-Millan knocked off Dedaj 6-1, 6-0, at No. 3 singles while No. 6-ranked Perez blanked Mets 6-0, 6-0, at No. 4 singles.
Darina Drozdova notched the Lakers' only point at No. 5 singles by knocking off No. 24-ranked Olga Kalodzitsa in a third-set tiebreaker 6-3, 3-6, (10-6).
