ORLANDO, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's tennis team cemented themselves as a legitimate top ten team in the nation on Wednesday, defeating their second top ten team this month with a 5-2 win over No. 9 Middle Georgia State in Orlando. Playing without the services of All-American Lara Teodoro, the Gyrenes won four matches in the third set, including three after losing the first set, to pull the upset, which could move the Gyrenes up in next week's NAIA Coaches' Poll, if Ave Maria adds a win on Saturday.

Middle Georgia took the doubles point, with wins at the second and third positions. Playing together for the first time this season, Valentine Colin and Vitoria Barandas earned Ave Maria's lone doubles win, a 6-3 triumph at the top position. MGA's Isadora Marcondes and Alexia Desmet won 6-1 at the number two spot, while Rebeca Lopez and Aya El Marrasse earned a 6-4 win at the number three position. 

Ave Maria's lone dominant victory in singles play came at the number two spot, thanks to Valentine Colin. The French junior won her fourth consecutive match with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Middle Georgia State's Valeria Rodriguez. 

Each of the other five matches went to three sets, but four Gyrene wins powered Ave Maria to their second top ten win in the month of March. Julia Candiotto won 6-0, 2-6, 6-3 at the top spot, while 37th-ranked Andrea Rodriguez Oria rallied from a 6-3 loss in the first set to take 6-3 wins in each of the final two. 

Vitoria Barandas also rallied from a first set loss in a 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 win at the fourth position, and Kely Oliveira did the same with a 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 win at the fifth spot. Nicolle Koop nearly gave Ave Maria a sweep, having match point in her match but eventually falling 3-6, 7-6, 10-8.

The Gyrenes, who have now beaten three nationally ranked teams this season, prepare for their penultimate conference match this weekend. Ave Maria heads to Brunswick for a meeting with the Mariners of the College of Coastal Georgia. Wins over Coastal Georgia and Warner would ensure a top-three finish for the Gyrenes in The Sun Conference. Opening serve is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon in Brunswick.