CHATTANOOGA, TENN. -- No. 36 Furman, the top seed in the 2022 Southern Conference Championships, blanked No. 8 seed Mercer, 4-0, Thursday at the Champions Club in Chattanooga, Tenn.

With the win, Furman (19-6, 7-0 SoCon) advances to the semifinals of the league championships.  The Paladins will square off against No. 4 seed Chattanooga Friday at 10 a.m. with the winner reaching the finals of the SoCon Championships.

The Paladins have now advanced to the semifinals of the tournament every year it has been contested since the tournament moved from an individual to team format in 1998.

The Paladins won two matches to win the doubles point.  Senior Julia Adams and sophomore Ellie Schoppe, who rank 38th nationally, defeated Mary Courville and Naya Tillitt, 6-4, at flight one, and freshmen Jess Dawson and Sara Snyder topped Alara Hollyfield and Francesca Franchi, 6-1, at number three.  The flight two contest was unfinished with junior Madison Dillon and freshman Ellie Schulson leading Lauren Rich and Kristin Yordanova, 5-3. 

Furman scored at flights two, three, and five singles for the victory.  Schoppe, a first-team all-conference selection for both singles and doubles, overcame a 5-2 deficit to win set one, 7-5, over Courville, then posted a 6-0 victory in set two to clinch the match.  Snyder, the 2022 SoCon Freshman of the Year, made quick work of Rich, 6-2, 6-2, at flight three, and Schulson, who was named to the All-SoCon second team and to the SoCon All-Freshman team, won at flight five, beating Lekha Varudandi, 6-1, 6-0.

Matches at flights one, four, and six, were unfinished.  SoCon Player of the Year Adams, who ranks 46th nationally, led Tillitt, 6-3, 5-4, at number one, and Dillon was ahead of Hollyfield, 6-3, 5-2, at flight four.  At number six, Dawson, who also was named to the All-SoCon second team and to the SoCon All-Freshman team, won set one, 7-6(5), and was leading set two, 3-2, versus Franchi.

Mercer concludes the season at 6-16.

Southern Conference Championships - Women's Quarterfinal

(1) Furman vs. (8) Mercer • 04/21/2022 at Chattanooga, Tenn. • The Champions Club

#36 Furman 4, Mercer 0

Singles competition

1. #46 Julia Adams (FUR) vs. Naya Tillitt (MER) 6-3, 5-4, unfinished

2. Ellie Schoppe (FUR) def. Mary Courville (MER) 7-5, 6-0

3. Sara Snyder (FUR) def. Lauren Rich (MER) 6-2, 6-2

4. Madison Dillon (FUR) vs. Alara Hollyfield (MER) 6-3, 5-2, unfinished

5. Ellie Schulson (FUR) def. Lekha Varudandi (MER) 6-1, 6-0

6. Jess Dawson (FUR) vs. Francesca Franchi (MER) 7-6 (7-5), 3-2, unfinished

Doubles competition

1. #38 Julia Adams/Ellie Schoppe (FUR) def. Mary Courville/Naya Tillitt (MER) 6-4

2. Madison Dillon/Ellie Schulson (FUR) vs. Lauren Rich/Kristin Yordanova (MER) 5-3, unfinished

3. Jess Dawson/Sara Snyder (FUR) def. Alara Hollyfield/Francesca Franchi (MER) 6-1

Match Notes: Mercer 6-16 • Furman 19-6; National ranking #36

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