March 28, 2007

Agate

Boone, N.C. - Despite being interrupted with inclement weather, the Furman women's tennis team picked up a 4-0 win at Appalachian State in Wednesday afternoon Southern Conference tennis action. The Lady Paladins (9-8, 5-0) have won five consecutive matches and are still undefeated in league action. Appalachian State (7-9, 0-3) has dropped four straight decisions.

The match was forced to move to the indoor courts as the Grandfather Mountain Country Club after rain delayed, then made it impossible to play at the ASU Tennis Courts. After Furman secured the win, the match was called due to time constraints.

The Lady Paladins won the doubles point with wins at number one and two before the teams were forced to move indoors. Laura Gioia and Natasa Manojlovic blanked Amanda Cash and Anja Gugger, 8-0, to improve to 12-5 on the season. At number two, Jacqueline Eckert and Lauren Osborne topped Lauren Holton and Monica Tomas, 8-1, to secure the doubles point. Furman's number three pair of Bonnie Baird and Lisa Bornt-Davis was leading the final match, 6-4, before rain interrupted play.

Furman picked up singles victories at flights one, three and four to give the Lady Paladins the win. Gioia won her 15th match of the season with a 6-0, 6-1 defeat of Gugger at the top position. At number four, Eckert knocked off Cash, 6-2, 6-2. Baird clinched the match with a straight-set victory over Holton at number three.

Furman will travel to Statesboro, Ga., this weekend to battle Georgia Southern on Saturday, March 31 at 11 a.m.