Furman 7, Georgia Southern 0
GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Furman women's tennis team opened the Southern Conference season Saturday, blanking Georgia Southern, 7-0, at the Mickel Tennis Center in Greenville, S.C.
The match began outdoors, with the Paladins sweeping the doubles round. Senior Lauren Kline and sophomore Alex Moreno-Kaste combined for an 8-1 win over Paola Garrido and Stephanie Woods at flight one, while senior Michele Stanford and junior Amanda Murray posted an 8-4 victory over Natalie Maffett and M. Phillips Smith in the second doubles match-up. At number three, junior Margaret Boyette and sophomore Kelly Sullivan held on for a 9-8 win versus Jordana Klein and Alexis Pricket.
Inclement weather in the Greenville area forced the teams to move indoors in the middle of singles play. Kline, ranked 110th nationally, recorded a 6-2, 6-1 over Garrido at flight one, and junior Katherine Oudin notched a 6-3, 6-4 victory versus Klein in the second singles match-up.
At number three, Moreno-Kaste bested Woods, 7-6, 6-3, while Stanford defeated Phillips Smith, 6-2, 6-0, in the fourth-seeded match. Murray downed Maffett, 7-5, 6-2, at number five singles, and Boyette's 6-1, 6-0 victory over F. Norregaard gave Furman the singles sweep.
Samford 7, Western Carolina 0
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University women's tennis team breezed to a 7-0 Southern Conference-opening victory against the Western Carolina Catamounts on Saturday as the Bulldogs started league play in impressive fashion at the Samford Tennis Center.
With the victory, Samford (6-4, 1-0 SoCon) earned its second straight win at home and improved to 6-1 when playing in the friendly confines of the Samford Tennis Center. The Bulldogs' lone loss at home this season was a hard-fought 4-3 decision versus UAB on Feb. 20. Since then, Samford has registered home wins against Southern Miss, 5-2, and Western Carolina (1-4, 0-2 SoCon), 7-0.
In Saturday's lopsided triumph over the Catamounts, Samford swept the doubles competition with scores of 8-0, 8-1 and 8-1, and then registered straight-set singles wins on all six courts.
The closest match of the day occurred in No. 4 singles where Emily Mallory earned a 6-3, 7-6(3) triumph over Western Carolina's Nicole Nielly. With her victory, Mallory increased her team-best record in singles play to 7-1. The Bulldogs' highly-touted junior from Louisville, Ky., also extended her winning streak to three-consecutive matches.
Samford's Kristin Lewis also proved to be victorious in singles play and improved her record to 7-2 this season, while sophomore Stephanie N'tcha moved to 6-3 with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Karen Jimenez on court No. 2.
UNCG 4, Old Dominion 3
HUNTINGTON, W. VA. - The UNCG women's tennis team fought to bring home a close 4-3 victory against Old Dominion Saturday, March 2.
"Great match against a very good team," said head coach Jeff Trivette. "It is important we learn to win on the road."
UNCG started off the match winning two of three doubles matches earning them the doubles point.
Seniors Niltooli Wilkins and Alex Whitehead beat Diana Ivanova and Nikol Hristova, 8-6.
Senior Annette Rios and sophomore Kayla Gammie dropped their match to Juliana Pires and Melissa Esnal Olguin, 8-4.
Junior Dilara Yurtkuran and sophomore Stephanie Falcon won 8-4 against Nika Khmolovska and Ivana Vukovic.
In singles play Wilkins took down Ivanova, 6-3, 7-5, while Yurtkuran fell 6-1, 6-3 to Hristova.
Whitehead lost her match to Vukovic, 7-5, 6-4. Rios won in an easy two sets against Pires, 6-3, 6-2.
Falcon picked up a 6-4, 6-1 win against Esnal Oguin, while Gammie fell to Khmolovska, 8-4.
The Spartans hold a 4-4 record so far this season and will return to action when they host Chattanooga Saturday, March 9, at the UNCG tennis courts. Play is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m.
College of Charleston 4, Stetson 3
DELAND, FLA. - The No. 72-ranked College of Charleston women's tennis team topped Stetson 4-3 in a very windy afternoon match at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center.
This was the first stop for the Cougars on their two-match Florida spring break trip. The win brings CofC's record to 5-3 while the Hatters drop to 3-2.
The College got off to a good start in doubles as senior Irene Viana and freshman Katherine Schofield won their match 8-3 over Andrea Crespo and Diana Bukajeva of Stetson in the No. 1 position.
The sophomore duo of Jenny Falcone and Samantha Maddox also claimed a doubles victory over Sara Lazarevic and Rachel Luke 8-3 in the No. 3 slot to clinch the doubles point for the College.
Maddox stayed hot in singles play when she quickly dispatched Clarke Tatje of Stetson by a 6-3, 6-2 score in the No. 3 spot.
Schofield did the same as she took down Lindsey Cable of the Hatters 6-2, 6-3 in No. 3 singles.
Senior Christin Newman proved herself yet again to be an invaluable asset to the Cougars when she clinched the team victory by overcoming Andrea Crespo 6-1, 7-5 in the No. 1 position.
"This was the first time in a while that we had a healthy team," CofC Director of Tennis Angelo Anastopoulo said. "Both teams should be commended for playing in very tough conditions today and I'm proud of the way that our team fought through the 20 m.p.h. wind to come out on top."
Due to scheduling conflicts, CofC's match against South Florida that was scheduled for Monday, March 4 has been cancelled. Instead, the Cougars will enjoy two days off before they face off against the defending Atlantic-10 champions North Florida (5-3) on Tuesday, March 5 at the UNF Tennis Complex at 2 p.m. (ET) in Jacksonville, Fla.