SALISBURY, NC – Junior Elisa Lang and freshmen Gabriel Karatantcheva and Hermon Mikael all contributed a pair of wins to help regionally ranked (No.9) Francis Marion University to a 5-2 road victory over Catawba College, Friday afternoon (Feb. 28) in non-conference women's tennis action.

The Patriots improve to 4-2 with their third straight win, all away from home.  Francis Marion will remain in Salisbury, N.C., to battle Bluefield State College on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Country Club of Salisbury.

Karatantcheva and Mikael won 6-2 at No.3 doubles followed by a 6-3 victory from junior Fredrika Regner and Lang at the top doubles position to give FMU a 1-0 advantage heading into singles play.

Singles wins by Lang at No. 4 with a 1-6, 6-2, 6-1 score and junior Lesshika Vala at No. 6 by a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 count put the Patriots ahead 3-0.  Catawba earned the next two singles wins to draw within 3-2, but Mikael clinched the match for FMU with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 win at the No.5 spot.  Karatantcheva accounted for the final point with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3) win at No.3 singles.

Both Karatantcheva and Mikael stay unbeaten (5-0) in singles play this season.

Women's Tennis
Feb 28, 2020 at Salisbury, NC (CC of Salisbury)
Francis Marion 5, Catawba 2
Singles competition
1. Una Pandurevic (CATW) def. Fredrika Regner (FMU_W) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
2. Sophie Hirsch (CATW) def. Eva Zannier (FMU_W) 3-6, 6-1, 6-0
3. G. Karatantcheva (FMU_W) def. Vicky Beardsley (CATW) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3)
4. Elisa Lang (FMU_W) def. Olivia Wooldridge (CATW) 1-6, 6-2, 6-1
5. Hermon Mikael (FMU_W) def. Lauren Laughton (CATW) 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
6. Lesshika Vala (FMU_W) def. Charisma Nuqui (CATW) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Fredrika Regner/Elisa Lang (FMU_W) def. Sophie Hirsch/Vicky Beardsley (CATW) 6-3
2. Una Pandurevic/Lauren Laughton (CATW) def. Eva Zannier/Magan Head (FMU_W) 7-5
3. G. Karatantcheva/Hermon Mikael (FMU_W) def. Olivia Wooldridge/Charisma Nuqui (CATW) 6-2

Match Notes: Francis Marion 4-2; Regional ranking #9 Catawba 3-5
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (4,6,2,1,5,3)