Furman 6, Davidson 1
Davidson, N.C. ? The Furman women’s tennis team’s regular-season Southern Conference winning streak reached 98 as the squad defeated Davidson, 6-1, to complete its ninth consecutive perfect league season. The Lady Paladins (15-7, 10-0) won their 17th conference regular-season crown and will enter the league tournament next week as the top seed. Davidson dropped to 11-11 overall and 6-4 in the league.
Three Lady Paladins wrapped up perfect conference singles seasons. Senior Laura Gioia, ranked 19th in the country, defeated Davidson’s Michele Fanney, 6-2, 6-0. With the win, Gioia is now tied for second on Furman’s all-time singles wins list with 73. She has lost only three conference matches in her four-year career after winning all 10 matches this season.
Sophomore Monica Arguello also improved to 10-0 in the league with her 6-1, 6-2 win over Virginia Berry at number two. Gioia and Arguello teamed up to post an 8-3 victory over Fanney and Berry at the top doubles spot.
With a 6-1, 6-3 win over Alison Rauh, Furman junior Jessica Preeg won her 10th SoCon match of the season and seventh in a row. At number four singles, freshman Susan Bitetti improved to 14-9 this year with a straight-set win over Ali Gores. Bitetti and Preeg also paired at number three doubles to defeat Gores and Molly McDevitt, 8-3.
In her final regular-season match, Lauren Tomory grabbed a 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5) win over McDevitt at number five. The senior is 27-6 against SoCon foes during her career. Tomory and Jennifer Betts won their third straight doubles bout, defeating Rauh and Romina Clemente, 8-0, at number two doubles.
Georgia Southern 4, Samford 3
STATESBORO, Ga. ? Competing in the last home match of her career, senior Shea Huxtable clinched a 4-3 victory for Georgia Southern over Samford Saturday morning (April 18) at the Hanner Tennis Complex. With the win, the Eagles ended the regular season at 13-7 overall and 7-3 against Southern Conference opponents, marking the best record and most wins in a single season for head coach Amy Bonner during her five year reign. The Bulldogs fell to 7-12, 4-6 with the loss.
Georgia Southern headed into both doubles and singles action with wins already under their belt as Samford competed with a limited roster. The doubles point was clinched by the Eagles with a win at the top position. The Eagle tandem of Kristi Kegerreis and Molly Maddox knocked off Taylor Morgan and Stephanie Parkison, 8-4, to give Georgia Southern the early team lead heading into singles action.
Already with a match score at 3-0, the Eagles needed one singles victory to secure the conference win. Samford rallied back in singles action with two quick wins at the two and one seeds, respectively, to make the score 3-2. Andrie Meiring secured a 6-1, 6-3 triumph over Ali Beavers moments before Morgan topped Kegerreis from the No.1 court by a 6-2, 6-3 decision.
Huxtable, competing at the fourth seed for the first time this season, finished next for Georgia Southern taking with her a straight set, 6-3, 6-1 win over Jessica Diamond. Huxtable’s win clinched the Eagles’ seventh conference victory of the season. The Bulldogs wrapped up competition with their third singles nod with a win at the three court.
Elon 6, Presbyterian 1
ELON, N.C. -- After sweeping through doubles play, the Elon Phoenix women's tennis squad captured five of the six singles points to earn a 6-1 non-conference victory over the Presbyterian Blue Hose from the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center on Saturday afternoon. The Phoenix concludes its regular season with an overall record of 12-11. Presbyterian sits at 2-17.
Anna Milian and Paige Kensrue kicked things off with an 8-1 win over Megan Davis and Abby Diminich at number one doubles in just 41 minutes. Thirteen minutes later Whitney Butcher, Elon's lone senior who was honored prior to the match, and Lauara Graybill teamed up to knock off Cara Caruso and Virginia Waldron 8-6 at number three.
Hayley Wahl and Daleen Kloppers completed the doubles sweep for the Phoenix with an 8-5 decision over Paige Oelke and Heather Isbell at number two.
Kensrue picked up the first singles point of the match with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Isbell at number two in just 47 minutes. Lauren Sessoms moved Elon's advantage to 3-0 with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Davis at number three.
Clinching the match for the Phoenix was Milian, who earned a 6-2, 6-4 win at number one over Diminich.
At number five, Wahl claimed a 6-2, 6-4 win over Oelke while Graybill earned a win at number four by an identical score over Caruso.
Presbyterian earned its lone point at number six where Daryl Thompson defeated Butcher 6-3, 6-4.
Washington and Lee 5, Wofford 2
Emory 7, Wofford 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Wofford women’s tennis team dropped its double header on Saturday morning as the Terriers fell to Washington and Lee 5-2 and Emory 7-0 on senior day at the at the Reeves Tennis Center. Washington and Lee took the doubles points and four of six singles matches to secure the win while Emory took the doubles point and all six singles matches. The Generals are currently ranked No. 2 in the nation in Division III, while Emory sits at No. 4 in the nation in Division III.
Against Washington and Lee the Wofford duo of Cayley Wetzig and Ashley Lawrence were able to pick up a win in doubles play as they defeated Katie Tabb and Lauren Caire on court No. 1, 8-5. However, Washington and Lee won the remaining two doubles matches to take the lone doubles point. Sabrina Smyers and Haley Baird were defeated by Trelsie Sadler and Ann Morris on court No. 2, 8-5 while Sonia Anand and Kristin Demosthenes were downed by Ellen Yeatman and Meg Spalitta on court No. 3, 8-1.
In singles play, the Terriers were able to pick up two singles wins as Wetzig won on court No. 1 as did Baird on court No. 3. Wetzig, the lone Terrier senior, rolled on court No. 1 as she defeated Katie Tabb 6-4, 6-1. Baird had a tough match on three but was able to hold off Sadler 6-0, 5-7, 1-0 (13-11).
In the second match of the day, the Terriers fell to Emory 7-0. Baird and Smyers picked up the lone doubles victory for the Terriers as they defeated Lorne McManigle and Zahra Dawson 8-5. However, Emory picked up the two remaining doubles matches to take the doubles point and 1-0 lead heading into singles play.
Bitten by the injury bug all year it seems, the Terriers saw it once again as Smyers and Lawrence were forced to retire during their singles matches giving Emory a quick 3-0 lead. Emory went on to win the remaining three singles matches in straight sets to secure the win.