April 17, 2004

LADY PALADINS FINISH PERFECT IN SOUTHERN CONFERENCE DOWNING DAVIDSON 7-0

DAVIDSON, N.C. - The Davidson women's tennis team's seven-match Southern Conference winning streak came to an end Saturday afternoon, as the Wildcats fell 7-0 to the Furman Lady Paladins, who sport an undefeated SoCon regular season record for the fifth consecutive year. Davidson heads to the conference tournament with an overall record of 16-9 and 8-2 in the league. Furman will be the top seed in the postseason tourney with a record of 15-7, 10-0 in the SoCon.

The doubles matches were a perfect indication of what was to come as two doubles contests needed a tiebreaker to determine the winner. Furman's tandem of Shannon Moore and Lisa Bornt-Davis remained undefeated at number three, defeating senior Katherine Hatch and junior Sarah Borkowski, 8-1. Wildcat pair Meggie Patterson and Lindsey Powel (#2) held a 7-4 lead before Marti Morris and Mary Neill Hagood battled back to force the tiebreaker. Morris and Hagood hung on for the 9-8 (4) win, giving Furman the early team advantage. In the battle of the unbeatens, Davidson's Kelly and Meghan Fillnow suffered a 9-8 (7) loss to Jacqueline Eckert and Caroline Bentley in what was arguably the best match of the afternoon.

With the early momentum Furman went on to win the next four matches in straight sets to secure the victory. Mary Neill Hagood remained undefeated in Southern Conference play with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Kelly Fillnow at No.1 and in flight two Shannon Moore downed Meggie Patterson 6-4, 6-4. Furman's Caroline Bentley also posts a perfect conference record with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Lindsey Powel at No.4. The last three matches all came down to third set tiebreakers with Furman coming out victorious in all three. Jacqueline Eckert downed Meghan Fillnow in the No.3 slot 6-3, 3-6 (11-9) and at No. 5 Marti Morris won over Kate Levitt 6-4, 6-7(7) (10-7). In the last match of the day Bonnie Baird downed Katherin Hatch 5-7, 6-1 (10-6) in flight six.

The Lady Paladins head into next weekend's Southern Conference Tournament with the No.1 seed and their fifth straight regular season conference championship. The tournament runs April 22-25 in Charleston, SC.

Doubles
1. Bentley/Eckert (FUR) d. Fillnow/Fillnow (DAV) 9-8 (7)
2. Morris/Hagood (FUR) d. Powel/Patterson (DAV) 9-8 (4)
3. Moore/Lisa Bornt-Davis (FUR) d. Hatch/Borkowski (DAV) 8-1

Singles
1. Mary Neill Hagood (FUR) d. Kelly Fillnow (DAV) 6-1, 7-5
2. Shannon Moore (FUR) d. Meggie Patterson (DAV) 6-4, 6-4
3. Jacqueline Eckert (FUR) d. Meghan Fillnow (DAV) 6-3, 3-6 (11-9)
4. Caroline Bentley (FUR) d. Lindsey Powel (DAV) 6-4, 6-2
5. Marti Morris (FUR) d. Kate Levitt (DAV) 6-4, 6-7 (7) (10-7)
6. Bonnie Baird (FUR) d. Katherine Hatch (DAV) 5-7, 6-1 (10-6)