BELTON, S.C. -- The Furman women's tennis team won both singles draws and the doubles draw to conclude the fall season this weekend at the Southern Conference Fall Championship, which was hosted the Belton Tennis Association in Belton, S.C.
In the all Paladins singles finals, senior Madison Dillon defeated freshman Jess Dawson, 6-4, 6-3, in the Palmetto Draw, and freshman Sara Snyder held off sophomore Ellie Schoppe, 7-5, 6-2, in the Standpipe Draw. Dillon and Snyder were honored as co-champions. Â
Dillon blanked Emma Van Hee of Chattanooga, 6-0, 6-0, in the round of 16 then topped Mercer's Lauren Rich, 6-1, 6-0, in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, she downed Wofford's Lily Woods, 6-3, 6-1. Dawson defeated Wofford's Georgia Fischer, 6-0, 6-1, in the quarterfinals and outlasted Nicole Abel of Chattanooga, 1-6, 6-4, 6-0, in the semifinals.
Schoppe recorded a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Kristin Yordanova of Mercer in the round of 16 then posted a 6-0, 6-2 win versus Wofford's Lilie Steryous in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, she beat Paladin sophomore Ilayda Baykan, 6-3, 6-3. Snyder scored a 6-3, 6-4 advantage versus Mercer's Ashley Popham in the semifinals then defeated Mercer's Naya Tillitt, 6-4, 6-2, in the quarterfinals. Â
Also in the main singles draws, junior Maggie Pate beat Wofford's Emma Sorenson, 6-0, 6-1, and Baykan came from behind to defeat Wofford's Emely Kahrs, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, then downed Caroline Gibbens of Chattanooga, 6-0, 6-0. Pate, Baykan, and freshman Ellie Schulson picked up multiple wins in the consolation singles draw.
Two Furman doubles teams competed for the title, with Dawson and Dillon holding off Pate and Schoppe, 6-4. Dawson and Dillon defeated two teams from Wofford to reach the finals, while Pate and Schoppe beat teams from Wofford and Chattanooga in the earlier rounds.
Also in the doubles main draw, Schulson teamed with Snyder for a 6-4 win over Popham and Sorenson of Wofford, and in the consolation doubles draw, Baykan and senior Eva Borders slipped past Hardeman and Kahrs of Wofford, 7-6(1).
"I am really proud of our team and of how everyone competed this weekend," said Furman head coach Adam Herendeen. "We have grown a lot as a team on and off the court this fall, and that showed this weekend. We still have a lot of things to improve upon, but this was a perfect way to finish the fall and prepare for the spring season."
SoCon Fall Championships
Singles Palmetto Draw
Rd 16 Maggie Pate (Furman) def. Emma Sorenson (Wofford), 6-0, 6-1
QF Lily Woods (Wofford) def. Maggie Pate (Furman), 2-6, 6-0, 6-1
Rd 16 Madison Dillon (Furman) def. Emma van Hee (Chatt.), 6-0, 6-0
QF Madison Dillon (Furman) def. Lauren Rich (Mercer), 6-1, 6-0
SF Madison Dillon (Furman) def. Lily Woods (Wofford), 6-3, 6-1
QF Jess Dawson (Furman) def. Georgia Fischer (Wofford), 6-0, 6-1
SF Jess Dawson (Furman) def. Nicole Abel (Chatt.), 1-6, 6-4, 6-0
F Madison Dillon (Furman) def. Jess Dawson (Furman), 6-4, 6-3
Singles Standpipe Draw
Rd 16 Naya Tillitt (Mercer) def. Ellie Schulson (Furman), 6-2, 6-4
Rd 16 Ilayda Baykan (Furman) def. Emely Kahrs (Wofford), 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
QF Ilayda Baykan (Furman) def. Caroline Gibbens (Chatt.), 6-0, 6-0
SF Ellie Schoppe (Furman) def. Ilayda Baykan (Furman), 6-3, 6-3
Rd 16 Ellie Schoppe (Furman) def. Kristin Yordanova (Mercer), 6-2, 6-2
QF Ellie Schoppe (Furman) def. Lilie Steryous (Wofford), 6-0, 6-2Â
QF Sara Snyder (Furman) def. Ashley Popham (Mercer), 6-3, 6-4
SF Sara Snyder (Furman) def. Naya Tillitt (Mercer), 6-4, 6-2
F Sara Snyder (Furman) def. Ellie Schoppe (Furman), 7-5, 6-2
Consolation Singles Draw
QF Maggie Pate (Furman) def. Lauren Rich (Mercer), walk over
SF Maggie Pate (Furman) def. Georgia Fischer (Wofford), 6-2, 6-3
QF Ellie Schulson (Furman) def. Brianna Wilbur (Wofford), 6-3, 6-1
SF Ellie Schulson (Furman) def. Breda Brennan (Wofford), 6-1, 6-3
F Ellie Schulson (Furman) def. Emely Kahrs (Wofford), 7-5, 6-2
F Ilayda Baykan (Furman) def. Naya Tillitt (Mercer), 6-3, 6-1
Doubles Main Draw
Rd 16 Abel/Billman (Chatt.) def. Baykan/Borders (Furman) , 6-1
Rd 16 Schulson/Snyder (Furman) def. Popham/Sorenson (Wofford), 6-4
SF Fischer /Woods (Wofford) def. Schulson/Snyder (Furman), 6-4
Rd 16 Pate/Schoppe (Furman) def. Hardeman/Kahrs (Wofford), 6-0
SF Pate/Schoppe (Furman) def. Gibbens/Young (Chatt.), 6-2
QF Pate/Schoppe (Furman) def. Abel/Billman (Chatt.), 6-4
QF Dawson/Dillon (Furman) def. Brennan/Massie (Wofford), 6-4
SF Dawson/Dillon (Furman) def. Fischer /Woods (Wofford), 6-2
F Dawson/Dillon (Furman) def. Pate/Schoppe (Furman), 6-4
Consolation Doubles Draw
SF Baykan/Borders (Furman) def. Hardeman/Kahrs (Wofford), 7-6(1)
F Bosman/van Hee (Chatt.) def. Baykan/Borders (Furman), 6-2
SF Brenna/Massie (Wofford) def. Schulson/Snyder (Furman), 6-3
F Schulson/Snyder (Furman) def. Gibbens/Young (Chatt.), walk over
Â