CHARLESTON, S.C.-- The Furman women's tennis team clinched its 11th overall and fifth consecutive Southern Conference regular season title when the Lady Paladins downed the College of Charleston 5-2 on Saturday. With the win, Furman improved to 15-8 overall and 9-0 in the Southern Conference, while Charleston fell to 19-3 overall and 8-1 in league play. The victory, which marked Furman's 53rd consecutive win against a conference opponent, snapped Charleston's school record of 19 consecutive matches won.
Furman, by winning all three doubles matches to start the day, took the first point of the match. At No. 1, Natalie The and Mary Kovarik defeated Maike Hartung and Gabriella Moreira by an 8-5 count. Caroline Bentley and Shannon Moore topped Rachel Magory and Lauren Stewart at No. 2, 8-4, while Furman's Mary Neill Hagood and Krista Thomson edged Whitney Malina and Emily Scatuorchio in flight three action, 9-8 (2).
The Lady Paladins then won four of six singles matches to clinch the victory. Kovarik remained undefeated in conference action by beating Moreira at No. 1, 6-4, 6-0, while The defeated Malina at No. 3, 6-4, 6-4. While Moore finished off a stellar freshman regular season campaign by holding off Hartung at No. 4, 6-4, 7-6 (5), Furman's Bentley earned a 6-1, 7-5 victory against Stewart in flight five action.
Furman will next participate in the Southern Conference tournament held in Charleston on April 16-19.
Furman 5, College of Charleston
2
April 12, 2003
Singles Results
1. Mary Kovarik (Fur) d. Gabriella Moreira, 6-4, 6-0
2. Rachel Magory (CofC) d. Mary Neill Hagood (Fur), 6-1, 6-1
3. Natalie The (Fur) d. Whitney Malina (CofC), 6-4, 6-4
4. Shannon Moore (Fur) d. Maike Hartung (CofC), 6-4, 7-6(5)
5. Caroline Bentley (Fur) d. Lauren Stewart (CofC), 6-1, 7-5
6. Jenna Marks (CofC) d. Shellie Cochran (Fur), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
Doubles Results
1. The/Kovarik (Fur) d. Hartung/Moreira (CofC), 8-5
2. Bentley/Moore (Fur) d. Magory/Stewart (CofC), 8-4
3. Hagood/Krista Thomson (Fur) d. Malina/Scatuorchio (CofC), 9-8 (2)