Furman 5, Wofford 2
GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Furman women’s tennis team maintained a firm hold on the Pinson Cup with a 5-2 victory over Wofford Friday at the Mickel Tennis Center in Greenville, S.C.
Bobby and Dixie Pinson, beloved friends of both the Furman and Wofford programs, have given the trophy and a generous donation in honor of the rivalry between the two schools. The trophy stays with the winning school until the winner of the next season's match is determined, and the Paladins have been awarded the trophy each year since its inception in 2005.
The Paladins won two of three doubles matches to claim the opening point on Thursday afternoon at Wofford. Wofford’s Taylor Carlson and Samantha Russell teamed up to beat sophomore Karlee Bryde and freshman Joan van Lochem, 8-7, at flight three, then Furman evened the match as sophomore Ansley Speaks and senior Alex Moreno-Kaste topped Kalli Karas and Lauren Reid, 8-7, in the top-flighted match-up. In the decisive flight two contest, sophomore Blair Martin and rookie Alejandra Gil downed Catherine Martin and Mareli Sanchez, 8-7, to win the point. Due to lightning in the area, play was halted until Friday afternoon.
Singles play resumed in Greenville instead of Spartanburg due to the threat of continued inclement weather in the Spartanburg area. The Paladins were victorious in the top four singles matches to capture the team win.
Speaks downed Martin, 6-2, 6-4, in the top-flighted contest, and Moreno-Kaste recorded a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Audrey Coventry at flight two. In the flight three match-up, Martin topped Karas, 6-4, 6-2, and Bryde defeated Russell, 6-0, 6-2, at number four.
The Terriers picked up wins at flights five and six, as Sanchez posted a 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-7) win over Gil at number five, and Reid beat van Lochem, 6-4, 6-2, at number six.
ETSU 7, USC Upstate 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The ETSU women's tennis team earned its fifth win in the last seven matches Friday with a convincing, 7-0 victory at USC Upstate in Spartanburg, S.C.
The Buccaneers (11-5) were dominant throughout the day, capturing wins at every spot—the fourth time this season ETSU has won all nine positions (three doubles, six singles).
In doubles play, Melissa Esguerra and Ioanna Markesini handily defeated Nina Roell and Sharlee Deshmukh, 8-0, to clinch the duo's fourth-consecutive win.
Jessica Brumit and Jayde Viccars earned an 8-2 win at No. 2 Doubles, while Lyn Yee Choo and Ana Gerbasi edged Nona Ruppert and Anna Zoske, 8-7, at the top spot.
The Bucs took five of the six singles points in straight-set fashion.
Meanwhile, Regina Nychytailova outlasted Ruppert, 7-5, 6-7, 10-7, at No. 2 Singles to extend her team-best singles win streak to five matches.