Galloway, N.J.- The Georgian Court University women's tennis team earned a victory in its season-opening match for the first time since kicking off the 2008 campaign with a 9-0 win vs. Molloy College as the Lions edged host-Stockton College, 5-4, Thursday afternoon to begin the 2014 slate with a 1-0 mark.

Head Coach Ashleigh Parker guided the Lions to the triumph in her debut on the Georgian Court sidelines as GCU ended a three-game losing streak vs. its in-state rival in the process, last defeating the Ospreys (1-1) back in 2010.  

The action started with the Lions earning a "W" in two of three doubles contests. GCU's #1 tandem of Mafi Leal (Sr.-Guaynabo, P.R.) and Annmarie Wodell (Pt. Pleasant, N.J.) dropped Stockton's top pair of Summer Conover (Fr.-Mays Landing, N.J.) and Sam Koropchak (Sr.-West Milford, N.J.) by a score of 8-3. 

Georgian Court's #2 duo of Kayanna Chandler (So.-Jackson, N.J.) and Meredith Hoffman (Sr.-Spring Lake, N.J.) dismissed Sydni Fahringer (Sr.-Northfield, N.J.) and Scout Bauer (Sr.-Haddon Township, N.J.) by the same 8-3 tally to provide the Lions a 2-1 advantage heading into singles play.

Leal earned a thrilling victory in the #1 singles slot as she held off Koropchak, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, for the clutch win. Chandler followed in the #2 hole as she defeated Fahringer by a score of 6-2, 6-3. Wodell earned the deciding point in the #3 position by holding off Conover (6-3, 7-5).

GCU returns to action Saturday afternoon when they travel to Shippensburg University for a 1:00 p.m. match.