FLORENCE, SC – Aided by three points from senior Sofia Henning and junior Anna Wintrich, the 20th-ranked Francis Marion University women's tennis team defeated the University of Mount Olive 7-1 on Thursday (Feb. 15) in college tennis action. The Patriot men dropped three hard-fought and lengthy doubles matches and dropped a 7-2 decision to Mount Olive.
The Francis Marion women improve to 3-1, while the men fall to 2-3. Both squads were to have played at Erskine College on Saturday, but the threat of rain has postponed that match to April 7. The Patriots will open Peach Belt Conference play on Tuesday at noon with matches at Augusta University.
The next home matches for FMU will be Feb. 25 at noon against local rival Coker College.
The Patriots swept all three doubles matches in women's play. The nationally ranked (13th) duo of junior Marie Krueger and freshman Elisa Lang won 8-2 at the No.1 spot and sophomore Magan Head and freshman Lesshika Vala earned an 8-4 victory at the No.3 spot. Looking for the 3-0 sweep, Henning and Wintrich rallied from a 6-5 deficit to win 8-6 at the No.2 position.
Wintrich and Krueger (ranked 37th nationally) quickly gave FMU the two points it needed for the win with straight-set victories at No.4 and No.1 singles. Henning won a marathon 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 10-7 victory at No.2 singles and Vala blanked her opponent 6-0, 6-0 at the No.6 position.
In the men's match, Francis Marion lost at the top two doubles positions by identical 9-8 scores with both tiebreakers being 7-5. The Patriots also lost 9-7 at No.3 doubles.
Freshmen Charles Hutchings and Paul Meuwissen accounted for the two FMU points with straight-set wins at No. 4 and No.5 singles.
Women's Tennis Match Results
Feb 15, 2018 at Florence, SC (Kassab Courts)
#20 Francis Marion University 7, University of Mount Olive 1
Singles competition
1. #37 Marie Krueger (FMU_W) def. Sonja Gartner (UMO) 6-3, 6-3
2. Sofia Henning (FMU_W) def. Alex Goffin (UMO) 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 10-7
3. Areej Fareh (UMO) def. Elisa Lang (FMU_W) 6-4, 6-3
4. Anna Wintrich (FMU_W) def. Nicole La Chappelle (UMO) 6-1, 6-3
5. Magan Head (FMU_W) vs. Jennifer Byrd (UMO) 7-5, 1-0, unfinished
6. Lesshika Vala (FMU_W) def. Emma Burroughs (UMO) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. #13 Marie Krueger/Elisa Lang (FMU_W) def. Sonja Gartner/Areej Fareh (UMO) 8-2
2. Sofia Henning/Anna Wintrich (FMU_W) def. Alex Goffin/Jennifer Byrd (UMO) 8-6
3. Magan Head/Lesshika Vala (FMU_W) def. Nicole La Chappelle/Emma Burroughs (UMO) 8-4
Match Notes: University of Mount Olive 1-3
Francis Marion University 3-1; National ranking #20; Regional ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,1,3,6,5,2)
Men's Tennis Match Results
Feb 15, 2018 at Florence, SC (Kassab Courts)
Univ. of Mount Olive 7, Francis Marion University 2
Singles competition
1. Armando Ferreira (UMO) def. W. Anth-Forsberg (FMU) 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 6-4
2. Martin Moser (UMO) def. Mauricio Guerrero (FMU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Jose Cortijos Planas (UMO) def. Matt Astell (FMU) 5-7, 6-0, 7-6 (7-4)
4. Charles Hutchings (FMU) def. Jack Middleton (UMO) 6-2, 6-3
5. Paul Meuwissen (FMU) def. Sherzod Akramov (UMO) 7-6 (8-6), 6-1
6. Pablo Safont Ferrer (UMO) def. Matheo Espinoza (FMU) 2-6, 6-3, 10-8
Doubles competition
1. Armando Ferreira/Jack Middleton (UMO) def. W. Anth-Forsberg/Charles Hutchings (FMU) 9-8 (7-5)
2. Jose Cortijos Planas/Martin Moser (UMO) def. Matheo Espinoza/Mauricio Guerrero (FMU) 9-8 (7-5)
3. Juan Arbelaez/Pablo Safont Ferrer (UMO) def. Henri Broeseler/Matt Astell (FMU) 9-7
Match Notes: Univ. of Mount Olive 2-2
Francis Marion University 2-3; Regional ranking #9
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (4,2,3,1,5,6)
