GREENVILLE, S.C.-- The 63rd-ranked Furman men's tennis team (6-5, 1-0 SoCon) won its Southern Conference opener when the Paladins defeated Georgia Southern (5-4, 1-1 SoCon) 5-2 this afternoon at Mickel Tennis Center.

Furman started by winning two of three doubles matches to earn the doubles point. At No. 1, James Cameron and Andrew Rogers teamed up to defeat Lasha Janashia and Danie Van Den Heever, 8-3. Chris Henderson and Allen Simmons then clinched the doubles point with an 8-6 triumph at No. 3 against Mark Finnegan and Vincent Patry. At No. 2, Furman's Patrick Fillnow and Ben Pauluhn dropped a 9-7 decision to the Eagles' Noah Tyler and Uli Ebensperger.

The Paladins then won four of six singles matches to take the victory. After Cameron defeated Finnegan 6-1, 6-1 at No. 1, Henderson beat Tyler 6-1, 6-4 at the No. 2 position. Furman's Ryan McCarthy then earned a 6-3, 6-2 victory against Georgia Southern's Charles-Henri Trottet at No. 6. The Paladins' final win of the day came at No. 3, where Fillnow defeated Van Den Heever, 6-3, 7-5.

Furman will next travel to Mobile, Ala. to participate in the prestigious Blue/Gray Tournament from March 13-15.

No. 63 Furman 5, Georgia Southern 2
March 8, 2003
Singles Results
1. James Cameron (FU) def. Mark Finnegan (GSU), 6-1, 6-1
2. Chris Henderson (FU) def. Noah Tyler (GSU), 6-1, 6-4
3. Patrick Fillnow (FU) def. Danie Van Den Heever (GSU), 6-3, 7-5
4. Uli Ebensperger (GSU) def. Andrew Rogers (FU), 6-2, 6-2
5. Vincent Patry (GSU) def. Allen Simmons (FU), 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
6. Ryan McCarthy (FU) def. Charles-Henri Trottet (GSU), 6-3, 6-2
Doubles Results
1. Cameron/Rogers (FU) def. Van Den Heever/Lasha Janashia (GSU), 8-3
2. Tyler/Ebensperger (GSU) def. Fillnow/Ben Pauluhn (FU), 9-7
3. Henderson/Simmons (FU) def. Finnegan/Patry (GSU), 8-6