CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - College of Charleston, Samford, Furman and UNCG advanced to the semifinals of the 2011 Southern Conference women's tennis championships as all four teams posted wins Thursday at the Champions Club in Chattanooga, Tenn. College of Charleston downed Appalachian State while Samford held off Chattanooga. Furman and UNCG swept their opponents to advance.
Top-seeded College of Charleston blanked Appalachian State 4-0 with three straight-set wins in singles play. After claiming the doubles point, the Cougars surged ahead 2-0 when Katie Lee defeated ASU's Amanda Cash, 6-0, 6-0 at the No. 5 position. Emma Hayman knocked off Jennifer Ansari, 6-2, 6-3 at No. 2 singles to put the Cougars ahead, 3-0. Kinsey Casey's 6-2, 6-3 victory at No. 4 clinched the match for the Cougars who improved to 19-7 on the year. Appalachian State finished the season 11-11. The Cougars, last year's tournament champions, advanced to the semifinals.
Chattanooga and Samford played a match that lasted just shy of 4:30. Chattanooga, the No. 5 seed, won the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 2. Samford's Rebecca Kirven and Madelie Janse van Rensburg posted straight-set victories to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead before Chattanooga's Jenna Nurik tied the match (2-2) with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Taylor Morgan at No. 1 singles. Andrie Meiring gave Samford a 3-2 lead with her 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 come-from behind win over Alexa Flynn at the No. 2 spot. Lindsey Mallory's three-set win over Annie Green (4-6, 7-5, 6-0) sent the No. 4 Bulldogs into the semifinals where they will face College of Charleston. Chattanooga finished the season 11-11.
UNCG blanked Georgia Southern with singles wins at No. 2, 3 and 6 in singles competition. The second-seeded Spartans' top two doubles teams won the doubles point for UNCG. Stephanie MacFarlane and Alex Whitehead breezed past Paola Garrido and Caitlin Kitchen, 8-1 at No. 1 while Niltooli Wilkins and Lucy Dougherty topped Ashley Hungerford and Ali Beavers, 8-5. Mikayla Rogers cruised past Alessandra Dzuba, 6-1, 6-1 at No. 6 singles to give UNCG a 2-0 lead in the match. MacFarlen's 6-2, 6-2 win over Melanie Rolle at No. 3 increased the Spartans' lead before Whitehead clinched the victory with a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 2 singles. Georgia Southern finished the year 10-11.
No. 3 Furman advanced to the semifinals by blanking Elon, 4-0. The Paladins carried momentum from winning the doubles point into singles play as Furman's three singles victories came in straight sets. Michele Stanford defeated Jessica Margolis at No. 6 singled, 6-0, 6-0. Lauren Kline raced past Frida Jansaker at No. 3, 6-1, 6-0 while Katherine Oudin knocked off Bryn Khoury, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2 singles. Elon finishes the season 12-11 while Furman will take on UNCG in the second semifinal Friday morning.
Play resumes at the Champions club Friday at 10:00 a.m.