FLORENCE, SC – The Francis Marion University women's tennis team lost to 25th-ranked and unbeaten Newberry College 4-0 in the semifinals, but recovered to defeat local-rival Coker College 4-1 in the third-place match, all on Saturday (Feb. 4) at the annual City of Florence Invitational Tournament.
 
The next match for Francis Marion (2-1) will be at Augusta University on Saturday, Feb. 11, with a 1 p.m. first serve.
 
The match against Newberry was started in the cold before noon, and in an effort to get all matches in, they played the singles competition first.  For the afternoon contests, the sides returned to the normal routine of playing doubles first and then singles.
 
Newberry claimed straight-set wins at singles spots No.1, No.2, No.5, and No.6 to earn the right to advance to the championship match.
 
In the doubles competition that opened the third-place contest, FMU freshman Chelsea Seidewitz and junior Julie Martincova won at the top spot by a 6-2 decision, only to see Coker (1-2) come out victorious 6-4 at the No.3 position.  FMU senior Gabriel Karatantcheva and sophomore Kim Venghaus then earned a 7-5 victory at the No.2 spot to hand Francis Marion the doubles point and a 1-0 lead.
 
The Cobras evened the match with a straight-set win at No.1 singles, but the Patriots closed out the match with victories by sophomore Sophia Hansen (6-4, 6-2) at No.4, junior Camryn Cassetori (7-5, 7-5) at No. 6, and Seidewitz (6-3, 1-6, 6-1) at No.2.
 
The two remaining singles matches were both in a third set when play stopped.
 
 
Women's Tennis Match Results
02/04/2023 at Florence, SC (Dr. Eddie Floyd/Florence Tennis Center)
#25 Newberry College 4, Francis Marion University 0
Singles competition
1. #27 Zulay Castaneda (NBY) def. G. Karatantcheva (FMU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Nastassia Chamoun (NBY) def. Julie Martincova (FMU) 6-1, 6-2
3. Chelsea Seidewitz (FMU) vs. Sofia Cardenas (NBY) 6-2, 1-6, 2-0, unfinished
4. Sophia Hansen (FMU) vs. Ish Singh (NBY) 5-7, 0-4, unfinished
5. Aina Miralles (NBY) def. Kim Venghaus (FMU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Rosie Harfield (NBY) def. Julia Pinto (FMU) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Julie Martincova/Chelsea Seidewitz (FMU) vs. Zulay Castaneda/Nastassia Chamoun (NBY) unfinished
2. G. Karatantcheva/Kim Venghaus (FMU) vs. Rosie Harfield/Sofia Cardenas (NBY) unfinished
3. Sophia Hansen/Camryn Cassetori (FMU) vs. Aina Miralles/Hazel Vernon (NBY) unfinished
 
Match Notes:  Newberry College 5-0; National ranking #25
Francis Marion University 1-1
Order of finish: Doubles (Did Not Play); Singles (2,1,6,5)
City of Florence Invitational semifinals
 
Women's Tennis Match Results
02/04/2023 at Florence, SC (Dr. Eddie Floyd/Florence Tennis Center)
Francis Marion University 4, Coker University 1
Singles competition
1. Jessica Binzari (COKER) def. G. Karatantcheva (FMU) 6-1, 6-4
2. Chelsea Seidewitz (FMU) def. Tamara Macias (COKER) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1
3. Julie Martincova (FMU) vs. Angelina Krieg (COKER) 4-6, 6-1, 4-5, unfinished
4. Sophia Hansen (FMU) def. Sydnee Foster (COKER) 6-4, 6-2
5. Julia Pinto (FMU) vs. Claire Nance (COKER) 6-4, 3-6, 0-1, unfinished
6. Camryn Cassetori (FMU) def. Olivia Drake (COKER) 7-5, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Chelsea Seidewitz/Julie Martincova (FMU) def. Tamara Macias/Sydnee Foster (COKER) 6-2
2. G. Karatantcheva/Kim Venghaus (FMU) def. Jessica Binzari/Angelina Krieg (COKER) 7-5
3. Olivia Drake/Caroline Myers (COKER) def. Sophia Hansen/Julia Pinto (FMU) 6-4
 
Match Notes:  Coker University 1-2
Francis Marion University 2-1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,4,6,2)
City of Florence Invitational Third-place Match