Half way through Georgia State's tennis season, the evidence already is irrefutable. The turnaround of the Panthers men's and women's teams is well under way.
The Panther men began this week having won nine straight matches, building on last season's 15-6 finish and remarkable turnaround from a 1-20 campaign in 2009. Meanwhile, the Panther women look to continue their rebound from 6-12 last year, after remaining unbeaten with their eighth straight victory on Saturday over Tulane.
Georgia State's men (14-3) face Colonial Athletic Association foes Old Dominion and Virginia Commonwealth this week, after extending their streak with victories over College of Charleston (4-3) and Florida A&M (4-1) on Saturday. In both matches, Georgia State rallied after losing in doubles, clinching against Charleston with Juan Pablo Gutierrez' win, 5-7, 7-6 (7-0), 6-2, and against A&M with Breon Badger's victory, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).
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Lucas Santana and Vincent Verpeaux both began this week 15-2 and riding nine-match win streaks, while Victor Valente and Thomas Cook are 12-3 and Gutierrez 10-5. That's needed momentum for the Panthers, four of whose next six matches are on the road and who don't return home until facing Alabama-Birmingham at Piedmont Park on March 25.
Panthers second-year coach Chase Hodges hinted at the season's start that every player would need to do his part to continue the turnaround.
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"We need guys to take ownership of their position in the lineup," he said. "Everyone needs to play their part if we want to compete for a (conference) title. We don't have room for error and need everyone to stay healthy and focused for the entire season."
Georgia State's women are off to their best start in school history behind Kir Kemp and Maryna Kozachenko, who both began the week 7-1, and Tereza Lerova and Kozachenko, who came in 6-2 and 5-2, respectively. Kemp and Lerova, ranked 40th nationally in doubles, are 6-1.
Kemp fought off two match points before winning a third-set tiebreaker that gave the Panthers a 4-3 victory over Tulane. With the overall match tied 3-3 on singles victories by Lerova and Abigail Tere-Apisah, Kemp survived at No. 5 singles, 6-3, 0-6, 7-6 (7-3).
Unlike the GSU men, who face continuing their streak on the road, the women's next three matches beginning Saturday -- against Furman, conference opponent North Carolina-Wilmington, then Yale -- are at home.