February 8, 2006

#59 Lady Paladins Cruise To 6-1 Victory Over Winthrop

Feb. 8, 2006

Greenville, SC - The 59th ranked Furman women's tennis team evened their record to 2-2 with a 6-1 win over Winthrop Wednesday evening at the Mickel Tennis Center. The Lady Eagles fell to 0-3 on the year with the loss.

In doubles play Shannon Moore and Lauren Osborne got Furman on the board first downing Alexandra Dyckman and Malin Sjoqvist 8-1 in flight two. Furman's 39th ranked doubles team of Laura Gioia and Marti Morris quickly gave the Lady Paladins a 1-0 lead with an 8-2 victory over Patricia Coimbra and Ana Paula Novaes at No.1. Furman picked up a win in the flight three doubles match with Jacqueline Eckert and Natasa Manojlovic defeating Paula Takahashi and Larisa Bekmetova 8-5.

Marti Morris and Lauren Osborne quickly gave Furman a 3-0 lead picking up wins in flights two and three respectively. Winthrop got on the board when Ana Paula Novaes downed Shannon Moore 6-1, 6-2 in flight four. Laura Gioia then sealed the victory for Furman with a 1-6, 6-2, 6-1 win over Patricia Coimbra in flight one. In the final two matches Furman's Bonnie Baird defeated Larisa Bekmetova 7-6(4), 4-6, 10-5 at No5 while fellow Lady Paladin Natasa Manojlovic eased by Alexandra Valarezo 6-1, 6-1 making the final margin 6-1.

The Lady Paladins hit the road for the weekend for matches against Northwestern and Alabama in Evanston, Ill. The Northwestern match is set for Saturday at 7 PM with the Alabama match beginning Sunday at 1 PM.

Singles

1. Laura Gioia (FU) def. Patricia Coimbra (WIN) 1-6, 6-2, 6-1

2. Marti Morris (FU) def. Paula Takahashi (WIN) 6-2, 6-1

3. Lauren Osborne (FU) def. Malin Sjoqvist (WIN) 6-2, 6-4

4. Ana Paula Novaes (WIN) def. Shannon Moore (FU) 6-1, 6-2

5. Bonnie Baird (FU) def. Larisa Bekmetova (WIN) 7-6(4), 4-6, 10-5

6. Natasa Manojlovic (FU) def. Alexandra Dyckman (WIN) 6-1, 6-1

Doubles

1. #39 Gioia/Morris (FU) def. Coimbra/Novaes (WIN) 8-2

2. Moore/Osborne (FU) def. Dyckman/Sjoqvist (WIN) 8-1

3. Eckert/Manojlovic (FU) def. Bekmetova/Takahashi (WIN) 8-5