No. 1 ETSU and No. 2 Furman advance at Women’s Tennis Championship

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The top two seeds, No. 1 ETSU and No. 2 Furman, advanced to the finals of the 2024 Southern Conference Women’s Tennis Championship on Friday. The tournament is being contested at the Champions Club, with the finals set for Saturday at noon.
 
No. 1 seed and defending champion ETSU will be looking for its second straight title on Saturday.
 
No. 1 ETSU 4, No. 5 Mercer 1
 
The Buccaneers’ Fernanda Carvajal and Daniela Rivera earned a 6-1 win at No. 1 doubles. Sofia Markova and Alessandra Caceres clinched the point, 6-2, at the No. 2 position.
 
Rivera doubled ETSU’s lead with a 6-2, 6-0, sweep over Emi Cosatto at No. 3 singles. Caceres made it 3-0 for the second straight day with a 6-1, 6-2, victory at No. 5 singles. Teodora Ristic put the Bears on the board with a 6-0, 6-3 win at the No. 1 slot. Ralitsa Alexandrova would then clinch the match for ETSU with a 6-4, 7-5 victory at No. 6 singles.
 
Singles competition
1. Teodora Ristic (MER) def. Sofia Markova (ETSU) 6-0, 6-3
2. Fernanda Carvajal (ETSU) vs. Lea Falentin (MER) 6-1, 4-6, 5-5, unfinished
3. Daniela Rivera (ETSU) def. Emi Cosatto (MER) 6-2, 6-0
4. Jana Rovira (ETSU) vs. Marina Quinones (MER) 4-6, 0-1, unfinished
5. Alessandra Caceres (ETSU) def. Mariella Minetti (MER) 6-1, 6-2
6. Ralitsa Alexandrova (ETSU) def. Tea Zivic (MER) 6-4, 7-5
 
Doubles competition
1. Fernanda Carvajal/Daniela Rivera (ETSU) def. Lea Falentin/Emi Cosatto (MER) 6-4
2. Sofia Markova/Alessandra Caceres (ETSU) def. Teodora Ristic/Marina Quinones (MER) 6-2
3. Jana Rovira/Ralitsa Alexandrova (ETSU) vs. Mariella Minetti/Tea Zivic (MER) 3-5, unfinished
 
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (3,5,1,6)
 
*****
 
No. 2 Furman 4, No. 3 Samford 3
 
Second-seeded Furman edged No. 3 seed Samford, 4-3, on Friday. The Paladins claimed the doubles point and earned wins at the fourth, fifth, and sixth singles positions for the win.
 
Furman doubles tandems at the second and third positions took the point for the Paladins , with Jess Dawson and Sara Snyder winning 6-4 at No. 2 and Grace Thomas and Alexa Griffith taking a 7-6 (2) victory at No. 3.


Samford’s Ally Hayduk and Alexis Lopez got singles wins at the No. 3 and No. 1 slots, respectively, to move the Bulldogs ahead. Macy Hitchcock of Furman tied the score with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles.
 
Dawson grabbed a 6-4, 7-5 win at No. 6 singles to bring Furman within one point of victory. The Bulldogs’ Emily Surcey notched the contest at 3-3 with a three-set win (2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3), before Marissa Pennings won a thriller in the No. 5 slot with scores of 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5), to advance Furman to the finals.

Singles competition
1. Sara Snyder (FUR) def. Isabella Sambola (WCU) 6-1, 6-2
2. Ellie Schulson (FUR) vs. Jade Groen (WCU) 5-7, unfinished
3. Grace Thomas (FUR) vs. Angela Perez (WCU) 3-6, 3-2, unfinished
4. Macy Hitchcock (FUR) vs. Madison Schwarz (WCU) 6-7 (2-7), 1-1, unfinished
5. Marissa Pennings (FUR) def. Andrea Redondo (WCU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Jess Dawson (FUR) def. Dasha Osadova (WCU) 6-4, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. Ellie Schulson/Macy Hitchcock (FUR) def. Angela Perez/Isabella Sambola (WCU) 6-4
2. Jade Groen/Madison Schwarz (WCU) def. Sara Snyder/Jess Dawson (FUR) 6-4
3. Grace Thomas/Alexa Griffith (FUR) def. Dasha Osadova/Andrea Redondo (WCU) 6-1
 
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,5,6)
 
*****
 
SoCon Women’s Tennis Championship
Chattanooga, Tenn. – Champions Club
Thursday, April 18
Match 1: No. 1 ETSU 4, No. 8 UNCG 0
Match 2: No. 5 Mercer 4, No. 4 Wofford 2
Match 3: No. 3 Samford 4, No. 6 Chattanooga 1
Match 4: No. 2 Furman 4, No. 7 Western Carolina 0
 
Friday, April 19
Match 5: No. 1 ETSU 4, No. 5 Mercer 1
Match 6: , No. 2 Furman 4, No. 3 Samford 3
 
Saturday, April 20
Match 7: No. 1 ETSU vs. No. 2 Furman, 12 p.m.