TIGERVILLE, SC – After dropping the doubles point, 74th-ranked Francis Marion University rallied to win all six singles matches in straight sets as the Patriots earned a 6-1 road win over North Greenville University, Saturday afternoon (April 23) in Conference Carolinas women's tennis action.
 
The victory secures the second seed for Francis Marion (14-5, 9-2) in the upcoming week's conference tournament.  The three-day event will be held at the Palmetto Tennis Center in Sumter.  Led by first-year head coach Jay Evans, the Patriots earn a double-bye into the semifinals on Saturday at 2 p.m. against one of three teams (Erskine or Lees-McRae or Belmont Abbey).
 
Despite a 6-4 doubles win by junior Gabriel Karatantcheva and sophomore Camryn Cassetori at the No.2 position, the Crusaders captured the doubles point with a 7-5 victory at No.1 and 6-3 win at No.3.
 
The bottom of the FMU ladder then rallied the Patriots.  Cassetori evened the match at 1-1 with a 6-2, 6-4 win at No.6.  Her decision was followed by victories from freshman Sophia Hansen (6-1, 6-1) at No.5 and sophomore Julie Martincova (6-2, 6-1) at No.4.
 
Karatantcheva then clinched the match for FMU with a 6-3, 6-3 win at the No.3 slot.
 
FMU's Paige Wise continued her unbeaten freshman campaign (15-0) with a 6-4, 7-5 victory at the top spot, while junior Hermon Mikael won at No.2 with a 6-3, 7-5 score.
 
 
Women's Tennis Match Results
4/23/2022 at Tigerville, SC (Vance Tennis Complex)
#74 Francis Marion University 6, North Greenville University 1
Singles competition
1. Paige Wise (FMUW) def. Larissa Berger (NGU) 6-4, 7-5
2. Hermon Mikael (FMUW) def. Hanah Hill (NGU) 6-3, 7-5
3. G. Karatantcheva (FMUW) def. Mitzy Enderink (NGU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Julie Martincova (FMUW) def. Ashlen Chapman (NGU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Sophia Hansen (FMUW) def. Naomi Sakakibara (NGU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Camryn Cassetori (FMUW) def. Riley Gunter (NGU) 6-2, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Larissa Berger/Mitzy Enderink (NGU) def. Paige Wise/Hermon Mikael (FMUW) 7-5
2. G. Karatantcheva/Camryn Cassetori (FMUW) def. Naomi Sakakibara/Hanah Hill (NGU) 6-4
3. Ashlen Chapman/Riley Gunter (NGU) def. Julie Martincova/Sophia Hansen (FMUW) 6-3
 
Match Notes:  Francis Marion University 14-5, 9-2; National ranking #74
North Greenville University 3-13, 3-8
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,5,4,3,1,2)