SUMTER, SC – Third-seeded Erskine College recorded a three-set win at No.4 singles to break a 3-3 deadlock and defeat second-seeded Francis Marion University 4-3, Saturday afternoon (April 30) in the semifinals of the 2022 Conference Carolinas Women's Tennis Tournament.
 
Francis Marion ends its season at 14-6, its first season under head coach Jay Evans.  The win total represents a 10-win improvement over the 2021 campaign.
 
Erskine (12-9) gained a quick 6-0 win at No.3 doubles only to have Patriot juniors Hermon Mikael and Gabriel Karatantcheva win 6-1 at the No.2 slot.  That left the doubles point up to the No.1 winner, where the Flying Fleet captured a narrow 6-4 victory.
 
The Flying Fleet upped their advantage to 2-0 with a win at No.2 singles, before FMU freshman and Conference Player of the Year Paige Wise earned a 6-3, 6-4 victory at the top spot.
 
Erskine went ahead 3-1 with a straight-sets victory at the No.5 position. However, wins by Karatantcheva at No.3, by a 6-2, 7-5 decision, and by sophomore Camryn Cassetori at No.6, by a 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 tally, knotted the match at 3-3.
 
That set the stage for the Flying Fleet to collect a come-from-behind 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-1 win at No.4 singles for the clinching point.
 
At 16-0, Wise becomes the first Patriot to finish a full season with a perfect singles record.
 
 
Women's Tennis Match Results
04/30/2022 at Sumter, SC (Palmetto Tennis Center)
Erskine 4, Francis Marion 3
Singles competition
1. Paige Wise (FMUW) def. Emma Bentz (ERSKINE) 6-3, 6-4
2. Szilvia Ferenczy (ERSKINE) def. Hermon Mikael (FMUW) 6-0, 6-4
3. G. Karatantcheva (FMUW) def. Luize Valtere (ERSKINE) 6-2, 7-5
4. Czarina Aguirre (ERSKINE) def. Julie Martincova (FMUW) 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-1
5. Rupal Kharb (ERSKINE) def. Sophia Hansen (FMUW) 6-3, 6-1
6. Camryn Cassetori (FMUW) def. Katie Lowe (ERSKINE) 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Emma Bentz/Luize Valtere (ERSKINE) def. Paige Wise/Julie Martincova (FMUW) 6-4
2. Hermon Mikael/G. Karatantcheva (FMUW) def. Szilvia Ferenczy/Katie Lowe (ERSKINE) 6-1
3. Czarina Aguirre/Rupal Kharb (ERSKINE) def. Sophia Hansen/Camryn Cassetori (FMUW) 6-0
 
Match Notes:  Erskine 12-9
Francis Marion 15-6
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,1,5,3,6,4)
#2 Francis Marion vs #3 Erskine Tournament Semifinal