CHATTANOOGA, TENN. – No. 3 Furman beat No. 6 UNCG, 4-2, Friday in the opening round of the Southern Conference Championships at the GPS Indoor Courts in Chattanooga, Tenn.  With the win, the Paladins (12-10, 5-2 SoCon) advance to the SoCon semifinals, where they will face No. 2 Samford Saturday at 10 a.m.

The Paladins recorded two doubles wins to capture the opening point.  Freshman Alex Steryous and sophomore Cameron Green, who earned first team All-SoCon honors earlier in the week, topped Warren Bryan and Logan Walker, 6-2, at flight two, and sophomore Josh Pistorius, who claimed a spot on the SoCon All-Freshman Team, and first-team All-SoCon selection Alex Steryous topped William Albright and Ian Melnik, 6-0, at number three.  The flight one match was unfinished.

The Spartans tied the match when Gaston Murray posted a 6-2, 6-2 victory over senior Matt Browne at flight three singles, but Green put the Paladins back on top 2-1 with a 7-6(2), 7-5 win against Daniel Mack at flight two. 

The teams were knotted at 2-2 after Connor Thompson came from behind for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 advantage over Adam Steryous in the top seeded match-up, but the Paladins earned wins at flights four and five to end the match.  Senior Ben Horst held on to beat Allbirght, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(10-8), at number four, and Pistorius defeated Bryan, 7-6(2), 6-1, in the fifth-seeded contest.  Since the match was decided, play was stopped at flight six.

Julie Paré, Furman Sports Information

Furman 4, UNCG 2
Apr 22, 2016 at Chattanooga, Tenn. (GPS Indoor Courts)