Furman 4, No. 72 FIU 3
GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Furman women's tennis team picked up its first win of the season Sunday, downing #72 Florida International, 4-3, at the Mickel Tennis Center in Greenville, S.C.
The Paladins won two out of three doubles matches to take the doubles point. Junior Lauren Kline and freshman Margaret Boyette notched an 8-1 win over Giulietta Boha and Karyn Guttormsen at number two singles, before Sarah McLean and Rita Maisak defeated sophomore Katherine Oudin and freshman Alex Moreno-Kaste, 8-3, in the top doubles match to knot the doubles at one match apiece. Junior Michele Stanford and sophomore Amanda Murray held on to beat Lisa Johnson and Christine Seredni, 9-8(4), in the third doubles contest to seal the point for Furman.
In singles action, Maisak notched a quick 6-2, 6-1 win over Stanford at number three to put the Panthers on the board. Boyette then defeated Boha, 6-1, 6-4, in the fourth singles match, and Oudin recorded a 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 win over Johnson at number two to give the Paladins a 3-1 advantage. McLean pulled out a 7-5, 7-6(5) victory over Kline in the top singles match to cut the lead to 3-2, but Moreno-Kaste's 6-4, 7-6 win over Seredni in the fifth singles match proved to be the deciding contest, as Furman led 4-2. Guttormsen then came from behind for a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Paladin senior Susan Bitetti in the sixth singles match.
Furman (1-1) will play at South Carolina January 25 at 4:30 p.m.
Indiana 6, UNCG 1
DURHAM, N.C. - UNCG's women's tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to Indiana on Sunday at Duke's Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center. Niltooli Wilkins picked up wins in singles and doubles for the Spartans.
Wilkins and Lucy Dougherty, the 40th-ranked doubles duo in the country, picked up a win over Indiana's Kayla Fujimoto and Evgeniya Vertesheva at No. 1, 8-5.
The Hoosiers (1-1) took the point on the strength of wins at Nos. 2 and 3. Alecia Kauss and Leslie Hurea took an 8-1 win over UNCG's Devon Sutherland and Kayla Gammie at No. 3 to start things off. After Wilkins and Dougherty pulled UNCG even, the point turned on the result at No. 2.
IU's Carolyn Chupa and Katie Klyczek pulled out a tight one, downing Alex Whitehead and Dilara Yurtkuran, 9-7, to clinch the point for the Hoosiers.
In singles action, Wilkins rebounded from a 6-1 loss in the opening set to take a 1-6, 7-5, 1-0 (9) win over Vertesheva at No. 1.
The Hoosiers swept through the rest of singles play, winning every match in straight sets.
At No. 2, Hureau downed Yurtkuran, 6-3, 6-1. Klyczek topped Whitehead 6-1, 6-3 at No. 3, and Kauss defeated Dougherty 6-4, 7-6 (5) at No. 4. Shannon Murdy topped Annette Rios at No. 5, 6-2, 6-4, while Sophie Garre dropped Stephanie Falcon at No. 6, 6-2, 7-5.
UNCG (0-2) returns to action when it hosts UNC Asheville at the Piedmont Indoor Tennis Center on Feb. 4 at 10 a.m.
Clemson 5, College of Charleston 2
CLEMSON, S.C. - In its season opener, the College of Charleston women's tennis team dropped a hard-fought 5-2 decision at No. 14-ranked Clemson on Sunday afternoon at the Hoke Sloan Tennis Center.
It marked the first time the Cougars (0-1) played at Clemson since a first-round NCAA Tournament meeting between the two schools in 2010. The Tigers (2-0), who are one of the favorites to contend for this year's NCAA team championship title, started off the match with the 1-0 advantage winning the doubles point.
However, they did not completely sweep the point as the CofC sister duo of senior Caroline Newman and junior Christin Newman defeated Nelly Cilokowski and Monika Kochanova, 8-3, at No. 3 doubles.
In singles play, the Cougars won two of the six matches behind an upset by Caroline Newman over No. 58-ranked Klara Vyskocilova in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, at the No. 3 line, and junior Olivia McMillan over Monika Kochanova in a third-set super tiebreaker, 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (5), at No. 5.
"The doubles point was big today," CofC Director of Tennis Angelo Anastopoulo said. "It was the first time we had an opportunity against Clemson. In the end, (ITA preseason No. 5 ranked) Josipa Bek, who was a 2011 NCAA doubles finalist, really stepped her game up, coming up big in doubles for the Tigers.
"Our freshmen newcomers (Samantha Maddox and Jenny Falcone) certainly played well in such a big match today. They showed they are going to really help our team out this year. There are still some improvements for us to make, but I was proud that our team was not nervous competing indoors. It's the best performance we've had early on in a season, especially playing a top 15 team. We were the most prepared as ever for an opening match. I give credit to what our players did over the holidays and coming back in great shape for competition."
Up next, the Cougars will travel to No. 3 Duke for the ITA Kick-Off Weekend (national indoor regionals) on Jan. 27 and 29 in Durham, N.C. CofC will face the hosting Blue Devils on Friday at 2 p.m. (ET) and either the winner or loser of the Illinois and Winthrop match on Sunday at a time to still be determined.