TUSCALOOSA, ALA. -- With the score knotted at 3-all, junior Julia Adams won a third-set tiebreaker at flight two singles to push Furman past Alabama, 4-3, Saturday at the RAB Tennis Facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala.  The win marked the Paladins' first victory over an SEC opponent since 2008, when Furman also defeated Alabama, who falls to 6-1 with the loss. 

The Paladin won two out of three doubles matches to win the crucial first point.  Senior Katarina Kozarov and Adams, who rank 27th nationally, beat Sydney Riley an Moka Ito, 6-3, at flight one, and junior Madison Dillon and senior MaryAnn Rompf blanked Alba Cortina Pou and Sasha Gorchanyuk, 6-0, at number two.  The flight three match was unfinished.

Kozarov, who ranks 15th nationally in singles, blew past Gorchanyuk, 6-2, 6-0 at flight one singles to give Furman a 2-0 advantage, but Riley topped freshman Ellie Schoppe, 6-1, 6-4, at number six to put the Crimson Tide on the board.  Dillon downed Anne Marie Hiser, 6-4, 6-3, to give Furman a 3-1 lead before Alabama scored at flights four and five to tie the score and set up the decisive flight two contest.  Cortina Pou beat Rompf, 6-3, 4-2, at number four, then Anna Parkhomenko came from behind for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over sophomore Maggie Pate at flight five.

At flight two, Adams won set one, 6-4, over Ito, before Ito evened the slate with a 6-3 victory in set two.  Adams led the third set, 5-4, with match point at deuce, before Ito won two games to lead 6-5.  Down 30-0 in the game, Adams rallied to tie the match at 6-6 then captured the tiebreaker, 7-3, for the win.

"Today's match was an epic battle between two really good teams," said Furman head coach Adam Herendeen.  "I am so proud of how our girls come to compete every single day, and we are improving with every match we play. I think today's win will give us a lot of confidence going forward, and we are excited to build on this momentum when we compete again tomorrow!"

Furman (2-4) will entertain Wake Forest on Sunday at the Mickel Tennis Center.  First serve is set for noon.  

Furman 4, Alabama 3

Singles competition

1. #15 Katarina Kozarov (FUR) def. Sasha Gorchanyuk (UA) 6-2, 6-0

2. Julia Adams (FUR) def. Moka Ito (UA) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3)

3. Madison Dillon (FUR) def. Anne Marie Hiser (UA) 6-4, 6-3

4. Alba Cortina Pou (UA) def. MaryAnn Rompf (FUR) 6-3, 6-2

5. Anna Parkhomenko (UA) def. Maggie Pate (FUR) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1

6. Sydney Riley (UA) def. Ellie Schoppe (FUR) 6-1, 6-4

Doubles competition

1. #27 Katarina Kozarov/Julia Adams (FUR) def. Sydney Riley/Moka Ito (UA) 6-3

2. Madison Dillon/MaryAnn Rompf (FUR) def. Alba Cortina Pou/Sasha Gorchanyuk (UA) 6-0

3. Maggie Pate/Ellie Schoppe (FUR) vs. Anna Parkhomenko/Anne Marie Hiser (UA) no result

Match Notes: Furman 2-4 • Alabama 6-1

Order of finish: Doubles (12); Singles (1,6,3,4,5,2)

T-3:13