MONTEVALLO, AL – Straight-set wins at the bottom four singles positions helped 37th-ranked Francis Marion University claim an 8-1 road victory over the University of Montevallo, Friday afternoon (March 24) in Peach Belt Conference women's tennis action.
The Patriots improve to 9-5 overall and 5-3 in the Peach Belt with their fourth consecutive victory, while the Falcons drop to 12-2 and 2-2..
Both the Francis Marion men's and women's squads will play host to Georgia College on Friday, March 31, at 2 p.m.
FMU took a 2-1 lead after doubles play with wins at the No.1 and No.2 spots. Senior Samantha Koelliker teamed with sophomore Marie Krueger to capture an 8-2 win at the top position. Koelliker moves into a tie for fifth place on the program's career doubles wins list with 63, equaling Lee Whitwell (1993-96).
Senior Eva Lieben (No.3), junior Sofia Henning (No.4), sophomore Anna Wintrich (No.5), and freshman Theresa Hammerschlag (No.6) all won their singles matches in straight sets, before Koelliker (No.1) and Krueger (No.2) were forced to a tie-breaker before earning their points.
Koelliker's 6-2, 2-6, 10-8 victory moved her into sole possession of fourth place on the school's career singles victories list with 58.
Women's Tennis Results
Mar 24, 2017 at Montevallo, Ala. (Montevallo Tennis Complex)
#37 Francis Marion University 8, University of Montevallo 1
Singles competition
1. #25 Samantha Koelliker (FMU_W) def. Alina Munteanu (UM) 6-2, 2-6, 10-8
2. Marie Krueger (FMU_W) def. Emily Beatty (UM) 2-6, 6-4, 10-7
3. Eva Lieben (FMU_W) def. Julia Berg (UM) 6-0, 6-3
4. Sofia Henning (FMU_W) def. Merel Van Zutphen (UM) 6-1, 6-0
5. Anna Wintrich (FMU_W) def. Rayne Sinclair (UM) 6-2, 6-4
6. Theresa Hammerschlag (FMU_W) def. Amanda Gautreaux (UM) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Samantha Koelliker/Marie Krueger (FMU_W) def. Alice Copland/Rayne Sinclair (UM) 8-2
2. Eva Lieben/Anilu Barraza Araiza (FMU_W) def. Alina Munteanu/Merel Van Zutphen (UM) 8-5
3. Julia Berg/Amanda Gautreaux (UM) def. Sofia Henning/Anna Wintrich (FMU_W) 8-1
Match Notes: Francis Marion University 9-5 (5-3 PBC); National ranking #37; Regional ranking #7
University of Montevallo 13-2 (2-2 PBC)
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,4,3,6,1,2)
