CHATTANOOGA, TENN. -- Furman blanked Western Carolina, 4-0, Thursday in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Southern Conference Championship, which is being held this week at the Champions Club in Chattanooga, Tenn.
With the win, the top-seeded Paladins (16-4, 7-0 SoCon) advance to the semifinal round, where Furman will face fourth-seeded Wofford Friday at 10 a.m. The Catamounts conclude their season at 2-18. Furman has now reached the semifinals in each SoCon Championship since the tournament moved to a team scoring format in 1998.
The No. 68 Paladins won at flights one and two doubles to score the opening point. Freshmen Elle Warren and Lillie Murphy, who rank 46th nationally, defeated Mariya Dobreva and Mia Miranda, 6-1, at number one, and freshman Bianca Ceroni and junior Macy Hitchcock beat Zoe Lui and Kelly Coetzee, 6-1, at flight two. The flight three contest was unfinished. Â
In singles action, Murphy won 4-0 in the top-seeded contest when Dobreav retired, and Ceroni recorded a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Axelle Van Beurden at flight four. Freshman Sasha Dimitrov topped Coetzee, 6-2, 6-4, at number five to clinch the win. Â
Matches at flights two, three and six were unfinished.
#8 Western Carolina vs. #1 Furman • 4/16/2025 at Chattanooga, Tenn. • Champions Club
#68 #1 Furman 4, #8 Western Carolina 0
Singles competition
1. Lillie Murphy (FUR) def. Mariya Dobreva (WCU) 4-0, retired
2. Elle Warren (FUR) vs. Mia Miranda (WCU) 4-6, 6-2, unfinished
3. Macy Hitchcock (FUR) vs. Jenelle Roberts (WCU) 3-6, 4-3, unfinishedÂ
4. Bianca Ceroni (FUR) def. Axelle Van Beurden (WCU) 6-0, 6-1
5. Sasha Dimitrov (FUR) def. Kelly Coetzee (WCU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Lily Doherty (FUR) vs. Zoe Lui (WCU) 6-2, 5-2, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #46 Lillie Murphy/Elle Warren (FUR) def. Mariya Dobreva/Mia Miranda (WCU) 6-1
2. Bianca Ceroni/Macy Hitchcock (FUR) def. Zoe Lui/Kelly Coetzee (WCU) 6-1
3. Sasha Dimitrov/Molly Robinson (FUR) vs. Axelle Van Beurden/Jenelle Roberts (WCU) 4-3, unfinished
Match Notes: #8 Western Carolina 2-18 • #1 Furman 16-4; National ranking #68
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (1,4,5) T-1:38 A-21
Â
