SPARTANBURG, S.C.  – Kicking off their spring season with their toughest season debuts in recent memory, the Converse University tennis teams fell to the Columbus State Cougars on Tuesday at the Sally Abney Rose Complex. The Converse women fell 4-3 and the men fell 7-0.

With the loss, both Converse tennis teams fell to 1-2 after a 1-1 fall campaign. Both Columbus State teams improved to 2-0. The Cougars' men's team entered the spring season ranked fifth nationally while the women entered the spring season ranked ninth nationally.

Women's Notes:
Columbus State began the match with four players, conceding No. 3 doubles, No. 5 singles and No. 6 singles, effectively giving Converse a 2-0 lead to start the match. The Cougars took No. 1 and No. 2 doubles to take the doubles point.

Junior Khushi Kharb won the Valkyries' lone match of the day at No. 1 singles with a 7-5, 6-1 victory.

Fellow junior Sofia Giraldo-Jimenez forced her opponent to win seven games in their second set, but was defeated in a marathon two-set match, sealing the victory for the Cougars 4-3.

Men's Notes:
The Valkyries won just three games across all three doubles courts as Columbus State took the opening point.

The closest any Valkyrie got to upsetting the top-five Cougars was sophomore Manuel Roncero who took his opponent to three sets. He won the opening set 6-4 before dropping sets two and three 6-2, 7-5.

Next Up For Converse:
Both Converse tennis teams will head down the street to take on Wofford in an exhibition on Saturday.

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