FLORENCE, SC – Led by senior Gabriel Karatantcheva, the Francis Marion University women's tennis team captured its season opener with a 4-0 blanking of Bluefield State University, Friday night (Feb. 3) on the opening day of the City of Florence Invitational Tournament.
 
Francis Marion (1-0) will play 25th-ranked Newberry College (4-0) on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the semifinals.  The Patriots will then play again on Saturday at 4 p.m. in either the championship match or the third-place match.
 
Wet weather earlier in the day pushed the starting time of Friday's match back to the evening.  Due to that fact, the two squads played singles competition first, and with FMU posting the required four points, the doubles matches were not played.
 
FMU won the top four singles matches in order with Karatantcheva claiming a 6-2, 6-3 win at No.1, freshman Chelsea Seidewitz won 6-3, 6-3 at No.2, junior Julie Martincova won 6-3, 6-4 at No.3, and sophomore Sophia Hansen was victorious 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) at No.4.
 
 
Women's Tennis Match Results
02/03/2023 at Florence, SC (Dr. Eddie Floyd/Florence Tennis Center)
Francis Marion University 4, Bluefield State University 0
Singles competition
1. G. Karatantcheva (FMU_W) def. Shreya Chakrabarly (BLUEST) 6-2, 6-3
2. Chelsea Seidewitz (FMU_W) def. Adriana Torroba (BLUEST) 6-3, 6-3
3. Julie Martincova (FMU_W) def. Juliana Jimenez (BLUEST) 6-3, 6-4
4. Sophia Hansen (FMU_W) def. Daniela Cruzado (BLUEST) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
5. Kim Venghaus (FMU_W) vs. Virginia Zanotti (BLUEST) 6-7 (2-7), 5-4, unfinished
6. Camryn Cassetori (FMU_W) vs. Ghita Courdi (BLUEST) 6-2, 2-6, 1-0, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Chelsea Seidewitz/Julie Martincova (FMU_W) vs. Shreya Chakrabarly/Juliana Jimenez (BLUEST) unfinished
2. G. Karatantcheva/Kim Venghaus (FMU_W) vs. Daniela Cruzado/Victoria Cabral (BLUEST) unfinished
3. Sophia Hansen/Julia Pinto (FMU_W) vs. Adriana Torroba/Paulina Moreno (BLUEST) unfinished
 
Match Notes:  Bluefield State University 0-1
Francis Marion University 1-0
Order of finish: Doubles (did not play); Singles (1,2,3,4)
City of Florence Invitational open-round match