SAN ANTONIO â€" Pamela Paradis won a third-set tie-breaker to provide Florida Southern with the decisive point, while Magda Riutort and Sabine Goge combined for a doubles win and two singles wins to help the 12th-ranked Moccasins defeat St. Mary’s (TX), 5-4 on Friday.
Playing the first of three matches in three days in the state of Texas, the Moccasins (5-7) jumped out to a 2-0 lead when Goge and Riutort won at the top doubles flight, 8-1, and Joalis Dominguez and Laura Wichmann earned an 8-2 win in the second position.
After the Rattlers (4-8) won the third doubles point, Riutort and Goge gave Florida Southern a 4-1 lead with identical 6-1, 6-1 victories at the top two singles positions. That lead didn’t hold though, as the Rattlers won the next three singles matches to be completed, including a 3-set match at number three that saw Kelly Cooper defeat Christie Nunnemann 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).
Paradis, however, made sure the Moccasins came out on top with her own 3-set win over Huong Huynh, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3). It was the first time Paradis was in the singles lineup this season, and came after she was bumped up from the #6 position when Olivia Spagnuolo was scratched after doubles.
Florida Southern continues its road trip on Saturday with a match against #33 St. Edward’s.
