GREENVILLE, S.C.-- The Furman women's tennis team opened its 2002 season by sweeping Winthrop and UNC Charlotte at Furman's Mickel Tennis Center on Saturday.

The Lady Paladins opened the day with a 7-0 victory against the Winthrop Lady Eagles. In doubles action, Furman's Natalie The and Megan Dunigan defeated Winthrop's Renata Barreto and Ana Simanca at No. 1, 8-4, followed by an 8-1 Mary Kovarik-Caroline Bentley victory against Winthrop's Judit Trunkos and Renata Caceres at No. 2. Krista Thomson and Mary Neill Hagood then completed the doubles shutout with an 8-1 triumph against Natasha Lucki and Jacki Deason at No. 3.

Furman then jumped to a 2-0 lead when Kovarik defeated Simanca at No. 2 singles, 6-2, 6-0. After Furman's Gene Holman beat Barreto at No. 3 singles, 6-3, 6-2, the Lady Paladins clinched the victory with a 6-2, 7-6 (4) Bentley win against Winthrop's Caceres at No. 4.

At No. 1 singles, Furman's Dunigan struggled to a three-set victory over Trunkos, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, while Shellie Cochran defeated Lucki 6-0, 6-1 at No. 5 and Thomson blanked Deason at No. 6, 6-0, 6-0.

In the afternoon match, Furman shut out the UNC Charlotte 49ers, 7-0. The No. 1 doubles tandem of The and Kovarik began the match by defeating UNC Charlotte's Jana Cucciniello and Jennifer Hatch, 8-5. Cochran and Hagood then beat Courtney Clifford and Lauren Hastings, 8-5, followed by an exciting 9-8 (2) Holman-Thomson victory over Alice Hansen and Laura Swain at No. 2.

In singles action, Dunigan defeated Hansen at No. 1, 6-4, 6-2, while Holman overpowered Cucciniello at No. 2, 6-2, 6-1. After Hagood emerged with a 6-0, 6-2 victory against Hatch at No. 4, Furman's The defeated UNC Charlotte's Swain at No. 3, 6-3, 6-2. The Lady Paladins then closed out the 49ers with a 6-1, 6-0 Bentley victory over Hastings at No. 5 and a 6-0, 6-2 Cochran win against Clifford at No. 6.

Furman 7, Winthrop 0
January 26, 2002
Singles Results
1. Megan Dunigan (Furman) def. Judit Trunkos (Winthrop) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
2. Mary Kovarik (Furman) def. Ana Simanca (Winthrop) 6-2, 6-0
3. Gene Holman (Furman) def. Renata Barreto (Winthrop) 6-3, 6-2
4. Caroline Bentley (Furman) def. Renata Caceres (Winthrop) 6-2, 7-6 (4)
5. Shellie Cochran (Furman) def. Natasha Lucki (Winthrop) 6-0, 6-1
6. Krista Thomson (Furman) def. Jacki Deason (Winthrop) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles Results
1. Dunigan/Natalie The (Furman) def. Barreto/Simanca (Winthrop) 8-4
2. Kovarik/Bentley (Furman) def. Trunkos/Caceres (Winthrop) 8-1
3. Thomson/Mary Neill Hagood (Furman) def. Lucki/Deason (Winthrop) 8-1

Furman 7, UNC Charlotte 0
January 26, 2002
Singles Results
1. Megan Dunigan (Furman) def. Alice Hansen (UNCC) 6-4, 6-2
2. Gene Holman (Furman) def. Jana Cucciniello (UNCC) 6-2, 6-1
3. Natalie The (Furman) def. Laura Swain (UNCC) 6-3, 6-2
4. Mary Neill Hagood (Furman) def. Jennifer Hatch (UNCC) 6-0, 6-2
5. Caroline Bentley (Furman) def. Lauren Hastings (UNCC) 6-1, 6-0
6. Shellie Cochran (Furman) def. Courtney Clifford (UNCC) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles Results
1. The/Mary Kovarik (Furman) def. Cucciniello/Hatch (UNCC) 8-5
2. Holman/Krista Thomson (Furman) def. Hansen/Swain (UNCC) 9-8 (2)
3. Cochran/Hagood (Furman) def. Clifford/Hastings (UNCC) 8-5