Furman Wins Women's Tennis Championship

No. 1 Furman 4,  No. 2 Davidson 1

CHARLESTON, SC- Top seeded Furman won its 14^th Southern Conference Women’s Tournament title, defeating second seeded Davidson, 4-1, Sunday afternoon at the Earle Tennis Center on the campus of The Citadel.

Furman, who won its third consecutive tournament title, won the doubles point with victories at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. SoCon Freshman of the Year Laura Gioia, with partner Marti Morris, defeated Davidson’s Lauren Powel and Michele Fanney, 8-5, at the No. 2 position. Furman clinched the doubles point at the No. 3 position, as Shannon Moore and Lisa Bornt-Davis tallied an 8-5 victory over Kate Levitt and Lora Dushanova .

In singles play, Furman registered wins at the No. 1, 3 and 5 positions to win the title for the eighth time in the past nine years. SoCon Tournament Most Valuable Player Bonnie Baird clinched the title for the Paladins with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Meredith Skeeters at the No. 5.

SoCon Freshman of the Year Laura Gioia defeated Davidson’s Kelsey Linville 6-1, 6-1 at No. 1, while Lauren Osborne defeated Kim Whelan 6-2, 6-4 at the No. 3 position to round out Furman’s points in singles competition.

With the win, Furman receives the SoCon’s automatic bid to the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championship, which will be announced on May 3. The NCAA tournament begins on May 12^th at regional sites.           

No. 1 Furman 4,  No. 2 Davidson 1

Doubles
Giola/Morris (FUR) vs. Linville/Whelan (DAV): DNF
Eckert/Osborne (FUR) def. Powel/Fanney (DAV): 8-4
Moore/Davis (FUR) def. Levitt/Dushanova (DAV): 8-5

Singles

1. Laura Giola (FUR) def. Kelsey Linville: 6-1, 6-1
2. Marti Morris (FUR) vs. Michele Fanney (DAV): DNF
3. Lauren Osborne (FUR) def. Kim Whelan (DAV): 6-2, 6-4
4. Shannon Moore (FUR) vs. Kate Levitt (DAV): DNF
5. Bonnie Baird (FUR) def. Meredith Skeeters (DAV): 6-3, 7-5
6. Lora Dushanova (DAV) def. Lauren Tomory (FUR): 7-5, 6-1