GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Paladin women's tennis team recorded nine wins Friday in the opening day of the 38th annual Debbie Southern Fall Classic, which is being held this weekend at the Mickel Tennis Center on the campus of Furman University in Greenville, S.C.
The Paladins won five out of six doubles matches in the opening day. After dropping a 7-6(4) match to South Carolina's Bella Bergqvist Larsson and Kaitlyn Carnicella in round one, freshmen Sasha Dimitrov and Lillie Murphy beat Marina Fudruic and Reese Sager of Kentucky, 7-6(4), in the second round.
At flight two, rookie Elle Warren and junior Macy Hitchcock recorded two victories to advance to Saturday's championship match. The Paladins defeated Mariia Andrienko and Addison Bowman of Alabama, 6-3, to start the day then topped Penn State's Patricia Grigoras and Brianna Baldi, 6-3.
Freshman Bianca Ceroni and Molly Robinson will play in the flight three championship match, as well. The Furman duo teamed up for a 6-3 victory over Sophie Clayton and Kinsey Crawford of Clemson then downed Elena Karantali and Sabritt Dozier of Georgia Tech, 7-5.
In singles action, Furman picked up victories in four of six contests. Murphy came from behind to defeat Mariia Hlahola of Texas Tech, 0-6, 6-1, 6-3, at flight two, and Warren held off South Carolina's Sara Borkop, 6-3, 6-3, at flight three. In the flight four draw, Ceroni outlasted Athina Pitta of Mississippi State, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, and at flight six, Robinson beat Clemson's Crawford, 6-1, 6-3.
Nine of the 11 teams competing in the tournament were ranked in the top 55 in the final 2025 ITA Collegiate Tennis rankings: Texas Tech (14), South Carolina (28), Georgia Tech (29), Clemson (38), Wake Forest (40), Alabama (42), Furman (46), Kentucky (48), and Penn State (55). Indiana and Mississippi State complete the field.
On Saturday, doubles play will begin at 9 a.m. One round of singles will follow beginning at approximately 10:30 a.m. The tournament will conclude with one round of singles on Sunday starting at 9 a.m.
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Doubles Results
Round One
F1 Bergqvist Larsson/Carnicella (South Carolina) def. Dimitrov/Murphy (Furman), 7-6(4)
F2 Warren/Hitchcock (Furman) def. Andrienko/Bowman (Alabama), 6-3
F3 Ceroni/Robinson (Furman) def. Clayton/Crawford (Clemson), 6-3
Round Two
F1 Dimitrov/Murphy (Furman) def. Fudruic/Sager (Kentucky) 7-6(4)
F2 Warren/Hitchcock (Furman) def. Grigoras/Baldi (Penn State), 6-3
F3 Ceroni/Robinson (Furman) def. Karantali/Dozier (Georgia Tech), 7-5
Singles Results
Round One
S1 Reese Sager (Kentucky) def. Sasha Dimitrov (Furman), 7-5, 6-3
S2 Lillie Murphy (Furman) def. Mariia Hlahola (Texas Tech), 0-6, 6-1, 6-3
S3 Elle Warren (Furman) def. Sara Borkop (South Carolina), 6-3, 6-3
S4 Taylor Goetz (South Carolina) def. Macy Hitchcock (Furman), 6-3, 6-3
S5 Bianca Ceroni (Furman) def. Athina Pitta (Miss. State), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
S6 Molly Robinson (Furman) def. Kinsey Crawford (Clemson) 6-1, 6-3
