BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Virginia Tech outlasted Furman, 4-2, Sunday at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center in Blacksburg, Va.

The Hokies won the top two doubles matches to score the opening point.  Charlotte Cartledge and Özlem Uslu, who rank 67th nationally, jumped out to a 5-0 lead at flight one before Furman seniors Ellie Schulson and Sara Snyder won the next four games to cut the deficit to 5-4.  Cartledge and Uslu captured the final game to take the set, 6-4.  At flight two, Arina Gamretkaia and Tara Gorinsek held off senior Jess Dawson and sophomore Macy Hitchcock, 6-4, for the point.  The Paladins picked up a victory at flight three, where seniors Grace Thomas and Alexa Griffith beat Semra Aksu and Linda Ziets-Segura 6-3. 

Virginia Tech extended its lead to 2-0 after 28th-ranked Uslu topped Snyder, 6-3, 6-1, at flight one singles, but the Paladins got on the board next when senior Marissa Pennings blew past Akus, 6-2, 6-1, at number three.  Laima Frosch defeated Hitchcock, 6-0, 6-3 at flight five singles to push the Hokie lead to 3-1, but Dawson responded with a 7-6(4), 6-1 win over Gorinsek at flight two to cut the lead to 3-2. 

The final two matches went to a third set, with Virginia Tech winning set one and Furman rallying to take set two in each match.  Cartledge clinched the win for the Hokies with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 victory against Thomas at flight six, leaving the flight four match unfinished.  Gamretkaia claimed the first set, 6-3, then Schulson answered with a 7-6(2) win in set two.  Gamretkaia led, 2-0, in the third set.

The Paladins (5-2) play two matches in Elon, N.C., this week.  Furman will take on N.C. Central Thursday at noon then face the Phoenix Friday at 1 p.m.

Furman vs. Virginia Tech • 02/14/2025 at Blacksburg, Va. • Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center

Virginia Tech 4, Furman 2
Singles competition
1. #28 Özlem Uslu (VT) def. Sara Snyder (FUR) 6-3, 6-1
2. Jess Dawson (FUR) def. Tara Gorinsek (VT) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
3. Marissa Pennings (FUR) def. Semra Aksu (VT) 6-2, 6-1
4. Arina Gamretkaia (VT) vs. Ellie Schulson (FUR) 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 2-0, unfinished 
5. Laima Frosch (VT) def. Macy Hitchcock (FUR) 6-0, 6-3
6. Charlotte Cartledge (VT) def. Grace Thomas (FUR) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. #67 Charlotte Cartledge/Ozlem Uslu (VT) def. Ellie Schulson/Sara Snyder (FUR) 6-4 
2. Arina Gamretkaia/Tara Gorinsek (VT) def. Jess Dawson/Macy Hitchcock (FUR) 6-4 
3. Alexa Griffith/Grace Thomas (FUR) def. Semra Aksu/Linda Ziets-Segura (VT) 6-3

Match Notes: Furman 5-2 • Virginia Tech 8-1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,3,5,2,6)