LAKELAND, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's tennis team won their second conference match of the season, earning a 6-1 victory over the Southeastern University Fire in Lakeland. The 20th-ranked Gyrenes won seven of nine matches against the Fire, who were receiving votes in the newest NAIA Coaches' Poll. The win was AMU's third straight win, and put AMU alone in second place in The Sun Conference.

Ave Maria easily claimed the doubles point with decisive victories at the number one and number three spots. AMU's nationally ranked duo of Lara Teodoro and Julia Candiotto rolled to a 6-2 win at the top spot, while the team of Aethielle Kelkboom and Katie Fuller dominated SEU's Nadezda Bijelic and Mia Dunagan, 6-1, to clinch the doubles point. Southeastern did win the final doubles match, a 7-6 win by Priscila Baptista and Abigail Damon in the number two spot, but Ave Maria took a 1-0 lead into singles action. 

The Gyrenes quickly clinched the match with five of six victories in singles play, including the first three matches to finish. Nationally ranked Lara Teodoro swept Nadezda Bijelic at the top position, while Aethielle Kelkboom dropped just one point in a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Gabby Marshall at the fourth position. Kely Oliveira clinched the match for the Gyrenes with a win at the fifth position, winning by the same 6-1, 6-0 score over Southeastern's Abigail Damon.

After Southeastern's Priscila Baptista earned the Fire's lone singles victory with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Gabrielle Benn at the number three spot, AMU completed the day with two more one on one triumphs. Katie Fuller cruised at the sixth position, taking a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Mia Dunagan. At the number two spot, Julia Candiotto finished off the day for Ave Maria, winning the opening set 6-4 before clinching AMU's sixth point of the day with a 7-5 win in the second set over Southeastern's number two player, Angelique Myrtil.

AMU comes back home on Saturday for their first home conference match in two months, when the Gyrenes host the Mariners of Coastal Georgia. With a win over the Mariners, the Gyrenes would all but ensure a top-three finish in The Sun Conference, which would keep AMU firmly in the discussion for a berth in the NAIA National Championships. Opening serve between Ave Maria and Coastal Georgia is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the AMU Tennis Facility.