ATHENS, GA. -- With the score tied at 3-all, freshman Maggie Pate defeated Dagmar Zdrubecka, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, at flight six singles Sunday to lead Furman past Michigan State, 4-3, in the final day of the 12th Annual ITA Kickoff Weekend at the Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Center in Athens, Ga.

The Paladins won two of three doubles matches to claim the first point.  Sophomore Julia Adams and senior Katarina Kozarov, who rank 30th nationally, topped Maja Pietrowicz and Lauren Lemonds, 6-3, at flight one, then the Spartans' Jennifer Timotin and Mary Lewis scored a 6-2 victory over senior Danni Vines and sophomore Madison Dillon at number two.  In the decisive flight three contest, juniors MaryAnn Rompf and Georgie Walker held off Nicole Stephens and Samantha Memije, 6-4, to put Furman on the board.

Michigan State (1-2) took the first three singles points, as Memije defeated Adams, 6-4, 6-1, at flight two, and Lemonds bested Rompf, 7-6, 6-3, at number three.  At flight four, Stephens came from behind for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 advantage over Walker.

Thirteenth-ranked Kozarov held on for a 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 victory over 110th-ranked Lewis at flight one, bringing the Paladins within a point at 3-2, then Dillon beat Pietrowicz, 6-3, 7-5, at number five to knot the score at 3-apiece and set up the decisive flight six contest.

"This weekend was just what our team needed," said Furman head coach Adam Herendeen.  "Yesterday's loss was a really tough one for us, and I am so proud of how resilient our girls were today.  We have a lot of areas to improve upon, but today was a big step for us, and I could not be more proud of our team."

Furman (3-3) will travel to Louisville, Ky., next weekend to take on Lipscomb and Louisville.

Furman vs Michigan State • Jan 26, 2020 at Athens, Ga. • (Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Center)

Furman 4, Michigan State 3

Singles competition

1. #13 Katarina Kozarov (FUR) def. #110 Mary Lewis (MSU) 7-5, 4-6, 6-2

2. Samantha Memije (MSU) def. Julia Adams (FUR) 6-4, 6-1

3. Lauren Lemonds (MSU) def. MaryAnn Rompf (FUR) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3

4. Nicole Stephens (MSU) def. Georgie Walker (FUR) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3

5. Madison Dillon (FUR) def. Maja Pietrowicz (MSU) 6-3, 7-5

6. Maggie Pate (FUR) def. Dagmar Zdrubecka (MSU) 6-2, 1-6, 6-3

Doubles competition

1. #30 Julia Adams/Katarina Kozarov (FUR) def. Maja Pietrowicz/Lauren Lemonds (MSU) 6-3

2. Jennifer Timotin/Mary Lewis (MSU) def. Danni Vines/Madison Dillon (FUR) 6-2

3. MaryAnn Rompf/Georgie Walker (FUR) def. Nicole Stephens/Samantha Memije (MSU) 6-4

Match Notes: Furman 3-3, Michigan State 1-2

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,3,4,1,5,6)