RALEIGH, N.C. -- No. 21 UCF downed No. 45 Furman, 4-1, Friday in the opening round of the NCAA Championships at J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center.

The Paladins scored their lone point at flight five singles, where sophomore Macy Hitchcock beat Olivia Bergler, 6-4, 6-1.  

The Knights (23-3) won two out of three doubles matches to win the opening point.  Sophia Biolay and Aya El Aouni defeated senior Jess Dawson Hitchcock, 6-3, at flight two, and Olivia Vergier and Jade Psonka blanked seniors Alexa Griffith and Grace Thomas, 6-0, at number three.  The flight one match was unfinished, with 49th-ranked Olivia Lincer and Hannah Rylatt leading Paladin seniors Ellie Schulson and Sara Snyder, 5-3.

UCF picked up singles wins at flights one, three, and six for the victory.  Lincer, who ranks 113th nationally, topped Snyder, 6-1, 6-3, at flight one, and 108th-ranked Biolay recorded a 6-3, 6-0 win over Dawson at number three.  At flight six, Rylatt downed Thomas, 7-5, 6-2.

Matches at flights two and four were unfinished.  Furman senior Marissa Pennings won the first set, 6-1, at flight two, and El Aouni won set two, 6-3.  The duo was knotted at 2-all in set three.  At flight four, Schulson took the first set, 7-5, but Psonka led, 4-1, in the second set.  

Furman (21-4) claimed the Southern Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament by capturing its 22nd SoCon Championship and made its 15th appearance in the NCAA tournament.  

First Round - 2025 NCAA Women's Tennis Team Championships
Furman vs UCF • 05/02/2025 at Raleigh, N.C. • J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center

#21 UCF 4, #45 Furman 1
Singles competition
1. #113 Olivia Lincer (UCF) def. Sara Snyder (FUR) 6-1, 6-3
2. Aya El Aouni (UCF) vs. Marissa Pennings (FUR) 1-6, 6-3, 2-2, unfinished 
3. #108 Sophia Biolay (UCF) def. Jess Dawson (FUR) 6-3, 6-0
4. Jade Psonka (UCF) vs. Ellie Schulson (FUR) 5-7, 4-1, unfinished
5. Macy Hitchcock (FUR) def. Olivia Bergler (UCF) 6-4, 6-1
6. Hannah Rylatt (UCF) def. Grace Thomas (FUR) 7-5, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. #49 Olivia Lincer/Hannah Rylatt (UCF) vs. Ellie Schulson/Sara Snyder (FUR) 5-3, unfinished 
2. Sophia Biolay/Aya El Aouni (UCF) def. Jess Dawson/Macy Hitchcock (FUR) 6-3
3. Olivia Bergler/Jade Psonka (UCF) def. Alexa Griffith/Grace Thomas (FUR) 6-0

Match Notes: Furman 21-4; National ranking #45 • UCF 23-3; National ranking #21
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,1,5,6) T-2:27 A-83