Furman 5, East Carolina 2
GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Furman women's tennis team won five singles matches and one doubles match to claim a 5-2 victory over East Carolina Friday afternoon at the Mickel Tennis Center in Greenville, S.C.
The Pirates jumped out to an early lead by taking wins in the top two doubles spots to win the doubles point. Jessica Cook and Audrey LePottier teamed up for an 8-1 win over Paladin rookies Margaret Boyette and Katherine Oudin at number one doubles. In the second doubles match, Natalie Collins and Petra Vogel combined to defeat Furman sophomores Lauren Kline and Michele Stanford, 8-4. The Paladins notched an 8-6 win in the third doubles match, with senior Monica Arguello teaming with freshman Amanda Murray to defeat Manon Bissat and Neena Wanko.
The Paladins responded by winning five out of six singles matches to take the victory. Arguello, ranked 64th nationally, defeated Cook, 6-2, 6-0 in the top singles spot, while Oudin posted a 6-0, 6-2 win over Vogel in the number two singles match. At number three singles, Kline beat Collins, 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (10-4), and Boyette recorded a 6-0, 6-1 victory over LePottier at number four singles. Murray pulled out a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win over Wanko at number five singles. The Lady Pirates posted their lone singles win at number six, where Bissat defeated sophomore Susan Bitetti, 6-3, 6-3.
Furman (2-4) will open Southern Conference play Sunday when the Paladins play host to Georgia Southern at noon.
College of Charleston 4, North Florida 2
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Senior Kinsey Casey made a third-set comeback to lead the College of Charleston women's tennis team to a 4-2 victory over No. 70-ranked North Florida in its home season opener held Friday at the College of Charleston Tennis Center located at Patriots Point.
The Cougars (1-3) claimed their first win of the spring season after waiting out a one hour and 20-minute rain delay before competition could take place against the defending Atlantic Sun Conference champion Ospreys (2-2).
North Florida won eight-straight games at No. 1 doubles to clinch the doubles point and take an early 1-0 lead in the dual match. Senior Keely Mulligan evened the score with a two-set shutout of Alison Viana, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 5 singles, while sophomore Irene Viana put the Cougars up 2-1 with a 6-1, 6-3, straight-set victory over Melinda Doak at the No. 6 line.
The Ospreys wouldn't go down without a fight. Simona Weymar tied the match at two-all with a 7-5, 6-1 decision over CofC junior Katie Lee at No. 4 singles, but sophomore Christin Newman countered with a 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Danielle Day at the top of the lineup for the 3-2 advantage.
Casey finished it off for the Cougars with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, win over Melanie Aguirre for the deciding point at the No. 3 line. Senior Emma Hayman led in the second and third sets versus North Florida's Victoria Krook, before the match was called.
"It was fun to see our team compete and play their way back into the match." Director of Tennis Angelo Anastopoulo said. "North Florida showed a lot of character. We were up 7-1 at No. 1 doubles and it's hard to win that many games in a row. They deserve a lot of credit and my hats off to them in their come back. In singles, we had some opportunities in the first set slip away from us. Kinsey showed great leadership out there and our depth really showed today with Keely and Irene getting us back into the match. Overall, I was pleased with our performance, especially after a nearly four-hour match."
The Cougars will return to action with a home doubleheader scheduled against Case Western and Memphis on Saturday, March 5 at Patriots Point. First serve is slated for 9 a.m. (ET) and 3 p.m. (ET) respectively.