NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 5, Birmingham-Southern 4
Records: Piedmont, 1-1; Birmingham-Southern, 1-1
 
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – With the match hanging in the balance, Piedmont women's tennis freshman MELISSA GISH delivered a clutch three-set win at No. 5 singles to lift the Lady Lions past Birmingham-Southern, 5-4, on a chilly afternoon in Alabama.
 
Gish rallied from down a set to take the second set, 6-3, and then followed with a dominating performance in the third set to win her match and give Piedmont its first win of 2021.
 
The match began with a doubles sweep from the Lady Lions to build them a 3-0 lead heading into singles.
 
MAGGIE MOODY and MEGAN WALDHEIM delivered a convincing 8-1 win at No. 1 doubles while Gish and IMANI VINCENT teamed up for an 8-4 win at No. 2 and KARA LANDSIEDEL and RACHEL MARSH completed the sweep with an 8-5 victory at No. 3.
 
The Panthers began to claw their way back into the match as singles began, taking straight set wins at No. 3 and No. 4 to cut their deficit to 3-2.
 
However, the Lady Lions answered back with MEGAN WALDHEIM's 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 2 to put them a match away from clinching.
 
BSC once again answered, picking up wins at No. 6 and No. 1, leaving Gish's match at No. 5 as the decider.
 
There, the freshman from Loganville, Georgia rallied to lift PC over the top.
 
The win marks the second consecutive for the Lady Lions over a school from the SAA. Piedmont defeated Berry, 5-4, at home last Feb. 23.
 
Up next, the Lady Lions will take on the Panthers again tomorrow at 11 a.m. (ET).
 
TURNING POINT:
- After BSC had rallied from down 3-0 to tie the match at 4-4, Gish flipped her match at No. 5 singles after dropping the first set.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Senior MEGAN WALDHEIM delivered a dominant win at No. 1 doubles along with MAGGIE MOODY and easily won her match at No. 2 singles to help put a pair of points on the board for the Lady Lions.
IN THE RECORD BOOKS:
- Waldheim's straight set win at No.2 singles gives her 41 for her career, tying MORGAN BUCHHOLZ for the program record.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW:
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