CHATTANOOGA, TENN. -- No. 38 Furman swept Western Carolina, 4-0, Friday in the semifinals of the 2025 Southern Conference Championship at the Champions Club in Chattanooga, Tenn.
With the win, the top-seeded Paladins (20-3, 7-0 SoCon) advance to the finals of the league championships for the eighth-consecutive time. Furman will square off against No. 2 seed East Tennessee State Saturday at 1 p.m. with the winner earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. The Paladins and Bucs are meeting in the title match for the eighth-straight tournament, and Furman has won five of the eight match ups.
Furman won the top two doubles matches to take the doubles point. Seniors Ellie Schulson and Sara Snyder beat Jade Groen and Chloe Schwarz, 6-3, at flight one, and senior Jess Dawson and sophomore Macy Hitchcock trounced Isabella Sambola and Andrea Redondo, 6-1, at number two. The flight three match was unfinished.
In singles, the Paladins scored in straight sets at flights three, five, and six for the victory. Dawson held off Madison Schwarz, 6-2, 7-5, at flight three, and Hitchcock topped Hokualohi Lui, 6-1, 6-4, at number five. At flight six, senior Grace Thomas blew past Redondo, 6-2, 6-0.
Matches at flights one, two, and four were unfinished. Â
With the loss, Western Carolina concludes the season at 15-10. Â
#4 Western Carolina vs. #1 Furman • 4/18/2025 at Chattanooga, Tenn. • Champions Club
#38 Furman 4, Western Carolina 0
Singles competition
1. Sara Snyder (FUR) vs. Jade Groen (WCU) 6-7 (5-7), 1-4, unfinished
2. Marissa Pennings (FUR) vs. Isabella Sambola (WCU) 6-7 (6-8), unfinished
3. Jess Dawson (FUR) def. Madison Schwarz (WCU) 6-2, 7-5
4. Ellie Schulson (FUR) vs. Angela Perez (WCU) 6-3, 3-3, unfinished
5. Macy Hitchcock (FUR) def. Hokualohi Lui (WCU) 6-1, 6-4
6. Grace Thomas (FUR) def. Andrea Redondo (WCU) 6-2, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Ellie Schulson/Sara Snyder (FUR) def. Jade Groen/Chloe Schwarz (WCU) 6-3
2. Jess Dawson/Macy Hitchcock (FUR) def. Isabella Sambola/Andrea Redondo (WCU) 6-1
3. Alexa Griffith/Marissa Pennings (FUR) vs. Madison Schwarz/Angela Perez (WCU) 3-5, unfinished
Match Notes: Western Carolina 15-10 • Furman 20-3; National ranking #38
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (6,5,3)
2025 SoCon Championships • #1 Furman vs. #4 Western Carolina - Semifinal
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