DAHLONEGA, GA – The Francis Marion University men's and women's tennis teams lost Peach Belt Conference road matches to the University of North Georgia, Saturday afternoon (April 11). The 30th-ranked Patriot women were edged 5-4, while the 21st-ranked UNG men beat Francis Marion 7-2.
The Francis Marion women fall to 9-7 overall and 5-6 in conference play, while the men drop to 7-8 and 2-6. FMU will conclude its weekend road trip by playing at Young Harris College on Sunday morning at 10 a.m.
The Patriot women captured the No.1 doubles point with senior Julia Graf and sophomore Samantha Koelliker coming out victorious 8-1. However, the Nighthawks won the other two double matches to take a 2-1 lead.
FMU won the top three singles matches (No.1 Koelliker, No.2 Graf, No.3 freshman Sofia Henning), but North Georgia won the final three positions – including three-set decisions at No.4 and No.5 – to eke out the 5-4 win.
Graf's win moves her into a tie with Mona Blauen for third place on the Patriot career list for singles wins with a 65-11 record (Blauen was 65-12). She is now two wins shy of the second spot (Lee Whitwell's 67-24) and six shy of the FMU career record set by Jitka Gavdunova (71-8). Graf also moved to within one win of third place on the FMU career doubles victories list with a 66-21 mark.
North Georgia swept all three men's doubles matches to take a 3-0 advantage. Francis Marion's two wins came at No.1 singles where 13th-ranked Richard Ashforth won in straight sets 6-4, 7-5, and at the No.6 position where senior Marius Wahlier captured a 6-2, 6-4 decision.
Ashforth improves to 13-2 this season in singles action.
Women's Tennis Match Results
04-11-15 at Dahlonega, Ga. (UNG Tennis Complex)
University of North Georgia 5, #30 Francis Marion University 4
Singles competition
1. #42 Samantha Koelliker (FMU_W) def. Felicia Baratta (UNGW) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
2. Julia Graf (FMU_W) def. Natalia Escobar (UNGW) 6-4, 6-4
3. Sofia Henning (FMU_W) def. Rita Kaldawi (UNGW) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
4. Mathilde Baartvedt (UNGW) def. Christina Graf (FMU_W) 6-1, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3
5. Hannah Stanford (UNGW) def. Mona Piller (FMU_W) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
6. Simone Krog (UNGW) def. M. Taylor Whisnant (FMU_W) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Samantha Koelliker/Julia Graf (FMU_W) def. Felicia Baratta/Rita Kaldawi (UNGW) 8-1
2. Simone Krog/Natalia Escobar (UNGW) def. Nora Westbye/Sofia Henning (FMU_W) 8-0
3. Mathilde Baartvedt/Nela Handac (UNGW) def. Mona Piller/Christina Graf (FMU_W) 8-5
Match Notes: Francis Marion University 9-7, 5-6 PBC; National ranking #30; Regional ranking #7
University of North Georgia 10-8, 4-6 PBC
Men's Tennis Match Results
04-11-15 at Dahlonega, Ga. (UNG Tennis Complex)
#21 University of North Georgia 7, Francis Marion University 2
Singles competition
1. #13 Richard Ashforth (FMU) def. Matheus Guida (UNGM) 6-4, 7-5
2. Philipp Mueller (UNGM) def. J. Roettlingsberger (FMU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
3. Julian Schoeller (UNGM) def. Dion Nijboer (FMU) 6-0, 6-2
4. Alexander Reinauer (UNGM) def. Gavin Davison (FMU) 6-3, 6-2
5. Mateus Camasmie (UNGM) def. Eimon Heywood (FMU) 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 1-0 (13-11)
6. Marius Wahlier (FMU) def. Tomas Schneider (UNGM) 6-2, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. #12 Mateus Camasmie/Matheus Guida (UNGM) def. Richard Ashforth/J. Roettlingsberger (FMU) 8-6
2. Julian Schoeller/Philipp Mueller (UNGM) def. Dion Nijboer/Patrick Hensley (FMU) 8-3
3. Tomas Schneider/Alexander Reinauer (UNGM) def. Gavin Davison/Marius Wahlier (FMU) 8-4
Match Notes: Francis Marion University 7-8, 2-6 PBC
University of North Georgia 13-3, 5-3 PBC; National ranking #21; Regional ranking #5
