HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Irene Artigas and Ella Tuomela finished atop their singles flights and numerous Gamecocks shined for Jacksonville State women's tennis on Friday and Saturday in the Golden Eagle Fall Invitational. The big weekend performance for the Red-and-White serves as an impressive outing for the program under first-year head coach Michael Helms.
 
"It was a fun weekend," Helms said. "This was the first time where it seemed like everything was starting to come together both on and off the court. I saw a team synergy and unity that I have not seen yet. It wasn't perfect and we can always find ways to improve, but this weekend was a win for the program and was a huge step in the direction we are trying to go."
 
Artigas and Tuomela came away winners in the top two singles flights at the Southern Miss Tennis Complex. Tuomela, a junior from Espoo, Finland, tallied a trio of two-set victories over opponents from New Orleans and North Alabama to take Flight 1. Artigas, a second-year Gamecock out of Valencia, Spain, drubbed foes from Southern Miss and UNA before claiming a 5-7, 7-6 (4), 10-5, triumph versus USM's Sze Xuan Lim in the Flight 2 finals.
 
"Irene and Ella have come early and stayed late over the last month," Helms said. "They have taken it upon themselves to figure out a few things about their game and you can clearly see that paying off come match time."


 
Along with those big performances, Martina Zarza impressed in Flight 4 in Hattiesburg. She added a couple of singles wins and finished third in the draw after securing a 6-1, 6-1, victory over Raquel Alvaro of UL Monroe in the third-place match.
 
Jax State looked strong in doubles action as well in Hattiesburg. The tandem of Artigas and Zarza picked up two doubles wins and won the Back Draw of Doubles Flight 2 while Tuomela and Polina Ramenskaja scored consecutive victories before falling in the Finals of the Flight 1 Main Draw.
 
"Special thanks to Coach Nui and the staff at Southern Miss," Helms added. "They put on a great event this weekend."
 
Gamecock women's tennis wraps up its Fall 2023 slate this weekend in South Carolina. The Red-and-White will travel to Spartanburg, S.C., to take part in the Wofford Invite. Action in the Palmetto State will begin on Friday and the event will conclude on Sunday.
 
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