GREENVILLE, S.C. -- No. 33 Furman swept Upstate foe Clemson, 4-0, Wednesday at the Mickel Tennis Center in Greenville, S.C., marking the Paladins' third win over an ACC opponent this season. Furman, which last beat the Tigers in 2002, has won 11 out of its last 13 matches with key victories over Alabama, 16th-ranked Wake Forest, No. 18 South Carolina, and Virginia Tech.
The Paladins won two out of three doubles matches to take the first point. Senior Katarina Kozarov and junior Julia Adams, who rank 27th nationally, topped Eleni Louka and Jenna Thompson, 6-1, at flight one, then Clemson's Ali DeSpain and Laura Marti teamed up for a 6-1 advantage over sophomore Maggie Pate and freshman Ellie Schoppe. In the decisive flight two contest, Furman senior MaryAnn Rompf and junior Madison Dillon outlasted Cristina Mayorova and Mackenzy Middlebrooks, 7-6(1), for the point.
Furman won three singles matches for the victory. Fifteenth-ranked Kozarov downed Louka, 6-1, 6-3, at flight one, and Adams defeated Thompson, 6-3, 6-1, at number two. Rompf clinched the win with a 6-3, 6-4 advantage over Middlebrooks at flight four.
The remaining three matches were unfinished. At flight three, Mayorova won the first set, 7-5, then Dillon rebounded to lead, 5-2, in the second set. Pate and DeSpain were tied 1-1 in the first set at number five, and Schoppe led Lana Sipek, 1-0, at flight six.
"Today was another nice step for our program," said Furman head coach Adam Herendeen. "We have a lot of respect for Clemson. We did not play the doubles point we would have liked, but we really responded well and played some great singles. This team is special and continues to improve every single day! I am really excited to see where will be at the end of the year!"
The Tigers drop to 6-11, 0-7 ACC with the loss.
Furman (12-6, 1-0 SoCon) continues SoCon play Saturday at Wofford. First serve is set for 11 a.m.
#33 Furman 4, Clemson Women's Tennis 0
Singles competition
1. #15 Katarina Kozarov (FUR) def. Eleni Louka (CU21) 6-1, 6-3
2. Julia Adams (FUR) def. Jenna Thompson (CU21) 6-3, 6-1
3. Cristina Mayorova (CU21) vs. Madison Dillon (FUR) 7-5, 2-5, unfinished
4. MaryAnn Rompf (FUR) def. M. Middlebrooks (CU21) 6-3, 6-4
5. Maggie Pate (FUR) vs. Ali DeSpain (CU21) 1-1, unfinished
6. Ellie Schoppe (FUR) vs. Lana Sipek (CU21) 1-0, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #27 Katarina Kozarov/Julia Adams (FUR) def. Eleni Louka/Jenna Thompson (CU21) 6-1
2. Madison Dillon/MaryAnn Rompf (FUR) def. Cristina Mayorova/M. Middlebrooks (CU21) 7-6 (7-1)
3. Ali DeSpain/Laura Marti (CU21) def. Maggie Pate/Ellie Schoppe (FUR) 6-1
Match Notes:
Clemson Women's Tennis 6-11, 0-7
Furman 12-6, 1-0; National ranking #33
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,1,4,5,6)
