Saturday

Davidson 7, Appalachian State 0

DAVIDSON, N.C. - Davidson recorded its eighth straight victory and the Wildcats ran their 2007 home unbeaten streak to 13 with a 7-0 win over Appalachian State in Southern Conference women's tennis action Saturday afternoon at Covington Tennis Courts. Ranked 67th nationally, Davidson improves to 15-4 overall and stays perfect in league competition at 5-0, while the Mountaineers fall to 7-10 and 0-4.

 

As they've done in each of their victories this season, the Wildcats opened with an early 1-0 advantage by claiming the doubles point. In the three matches, Davidson didn't surrender more than two games as the first and third contests were won by 8-2 margins and the middle an 8-0 shutout.

 

The Wildcats continued their impressive play in singles competition as all six affairs were decided in straight sets. Davidson got singles victories from Kelsey Linville (6-0, 6-2), Michele Fanney (6-2, 6-1), Virginia Berry (6-1, 6-1), Teresa Wang (6-1, 6-0), Kim Whelan (6-1, 6-1) and Meredith Skeeters (6-2, 6-1).

 

Davidson will conclude its 2007 home slate tomorrow in a 1 p.m. battle with College of Charleston, who also holds an unblemished record in SoCon duals. ASU will entertain conference rival Western Carolina tomorrow at 2 p.m.

 

Elon 5, Western Carolina 2

Cullowhee, N.C. - Freshmen Tessie Salame and Amanda Massey each posted singles victories on Saturday afternoon, but it was not enough as the Catamount fell in Southern Conference action, 5-2, to the Elon Phoenix Saturday afternoon at the Catamount Athletic Complex.

 

WCU (5-10, 0-6 SoCon) earned one doubles victory in the second flight as Massey and junior teammate Mariona Trilla

Jane downed the Phoenix duo of Kelley Moore and Hayley Wahl, 8-6. However, Elon (10-9, 4-3 SoCon) claimed the point with an 8-6 win at No. 1, handing the tandem of Salame and junior Trish Hanson their first SoCon defeat of the season in that flight, with an 8-1 victory in the third flight giving the Phoenix the 1-0 lead.

 

After claiming the first set, 6-1, Salame dropped the second in a tiebreaker, 7-6, before outlasting Elon's Jenn Tucci, 10-8, in the third set to give Western a singles point. The Catamounts earned their second point when Massey out lasted Francie Rudolph, 7-5, in the first set and 6-1 in the second.

 

Western's match scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Appalachian State in Boone has been postponed due to the impending threat of inclement weather across Western North Carolina. Instead, the match will be made up on Monday, April 2, in Boone.

 

College of Charleston 4, UNC Greensboro 3

GREENSBORO, NC ? UNC Greensboro won two of three doubles matches and got singles wins from Valerie Behr and Jess Eblen, but College of Charleston pulled out two three-set wins to escape with a 4-3 win over the Spartans on Saturday afternoon in Southern Conference women’s tennis action.

 

Eblen rallied to defeat Amber Dyar, 6-7, 6-2, 6-3, while Behr defeated Amanada Becker, 6-3, 7-6, after trailing Becker, 5-0, in the second set.

 

But College of Charleston’s Chelsea Albertz and Laura Borza both pulled out third-set wins at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively, to end UNCG’s hopes.

 

Eblen and Behr teamed up to win at No. 2 doubles, while Arielle VonStrolley and Erica Zabkar won in a tiebreaker to give the Spartans the doubles point.

 

UNCG will return to action on Sunday when it hosts Georgia Southern at 1 pm.

 

Furman 6, Georgia Southern 1

Statesboro, Ga. - The Furman women's team kept its Southern Conference winning streak alive with a 6-1 victory over the host Georgia Southern Eagles at Hanner Fieldhouse Courts on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Paladins (10-8, 6-0) have won 76 straight league matches dating back to the 1998-99 season. Georgia Southern (6-8, 3-3) has dropped four of its last five matches.

 

Furman won all three doubles matches in dominating fashion. Laura Gioia and Natasa Manojlovic improved to 6-0 in league play with an 8-1 win over Molly Maddox and Christine Caforio at number one. Jacqueline Eckert and Lauren

Osborne breezed by Heather Reynolds and Kristi Kegerreis, 8-2, and Lisa Bornt-Davis and Lauren Tomory won their third straight match with an 8-4 mark over Jessica Matlosz and Emma Knight.

 

The Lady Paladins swept the top five singles matches in straight sets. Gioia blanked Maddox, 6-0, 6-0, for her sixth consecutive win at flight one. Bonnie Baird earned a 6-1, 6-1 win over Reynolds at number three. Eckert and Manojlovic each posted 6-1, 6-2 wins over their opponents at number four and five, respectively. Osborne also topped Kegerreis, 6-3, 6-2.

 

Furman will host Western Carolina in another conference clash on Tuesday, April 3 at 3 p.m.

 

Friday

College of Charleston 5, Elon 2

ELON, N.C. ? Elon’s Deanna Bailey and Alli Benton earned singles victories, but the Phoenix suffered a 5-2 Southern Conference women’s tennis setback to College of Charleston Friday afternoon at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.

Bailey rallied past Chelsea Albertz 0-6, 7-6 (3), 10-4 at No. 1 while Benton overcame Amber Dyar 6-4, 2-6, 11-9 at No. 6. The Cougars (13-5 overall, 4-0 SoCon) posted victories at No. 2 (Laura Borza over Kelley Moore 7-6 (1), 6-2), No. 3 (Anna Lee Evans over Hayley Wahl 6-1, 1-0 retired), No. 4 (Holly Dowse over Francie Rudolph 6-1, 6-0) and No. 5 (Amanda Becker over Whitney Butcher 6-4, 6-2).

Elon (9-9, 3-3) dropped all three doubles matches. Evans and Dowse defeated Bailey and Jenn Tucci 8-3 at No. 1, Borza and Becker dispatched Moore and Wahl 8-3 at No. 2 and Albertz and Julia Howard beat Butcher and Benton 8-1 at No. 3.

On Saturday, the Phoenix will return to action with a visit to Western Carolina at 1:30 p.m. while College of Charleston stops by UNC Greensboro.

 

Georgia State 6, Wofford 1

ATLANTA, Ga. ? The Wofford women’s tennis team fell 6-1 in an non-conference matchup against Georgia State Friday afternoon.

 

Wofford (4-9) notched a pair of victories in the match. The first came at No. 2 doubles as McKenzie Carson and Merry Ellen Henry teamed to defeat Martina Nitkova and Kiera Strickland 8-5. The victory marked the third of the season for the Terrier twosome.

 

Freshman Sabrina Smyers also recorded a singles win at the No. 5 position, notching a 6-0, 6-1 win over Emma Stahl-Johansson for her third straight win.

 

The Wofford women’s tennis team will continue play on April 3 in Charleston, S.C., as the team takes on Charleston Southern at 2 p.m.

 

Georgia State 6, Wofford 1

 

 Singles competition

1. Dariana Kozmina (GAST) def. Merry Ellen Henry (WOF) 6-4, 6-2

2. Martina Nitkova (GAST) def. Adriane Hodges (WOF) 6-1, 6-0

3. Rachel Malina (GAST) def. Cayley Wetzig (WOF) 6-2, 6-4

4. Mateja Podgorsek (GAST) def. No player (WOF), by forfeit

5. Sabrina Smyers (WOF) def. Emma Stahl-Johansson (GAST) 6-0, 6-1

6. Kiera Strickland (GAST) def. Lauren Prickett (WOF) 6-1, 6-2

 

 Doubles competition

1. Dariana Kozmina/Rachel Malina (GAST) def. Adriane Hodges/Cayley Wetzig (WOF) 8-1

2. McKenzie Carson/Merry Ellen Henry (WOF) def. Martina Nitkova/Kiera Strickland (GAST) 8-5

3. Mateja Podgorsek/Emma Stahl-Johansson (GAST) def. Lauren Prickett/Sabrina Smyers (WOF) 8-6