Defending National Champs down Patriots by identical 7-2 scores

FLORENCE, SC – The nationally ranked Francis Marion University men’s and women’s tennis teams lost a pair of 7-2 decisions to Armstrong Atlantic State University, Tuesday evening (March 24) on the Kassab Courts.

The Patriot Women, ranked ninth, drop to 12-3 overall and 5-2 in the Peach Belt Conference. AASU, the defending NCAA Division II national champions, improve to 13-0 and 8-0, and win for the 27th straight outing. It is only the second time in the past four seasons that AASU has lost two individuals matches (points) in a PBC contest. The other occurrance came on April 16, 2007, also at Francis Marion.

Francis Marion served for the No. 3 doubles match and with it a 2-1 overall match lead, but the Lady Pirates rallied to win in a tie-breaker and thus held a 2-1 advantage after doubles play. The Patriot duo of Jitka Gavdunova and Kristyna Horakova did record an 8-4 win over the nation’s fourth-ranked doubles team (Martina Beckmann/Alida Muller-Wehlau) at the No.1 doubles position.

Gavdunova accounted for FMU’s other win, defeating 18th-ranked Gabriella Kovacs in straight sets at No. 3 singles.

In the men’s match, fifth-ranked AASU (12-1, 5-1) won all three doubles matches en route to a 3-0 lead. AASU is also the men’s defending national champion. Francis Marion, ranked 11th, falls to 10-4 and 2-4. It is the third straight home loss for the Patriot Men, coming at the hands of the country’s 18th-, fourth-, and fifth-ranked squads.

FMU’s two wins came at the top two singles spots, including sophomore Oshada Wijemanne defeating the nation’s number-one ranked singles player Edualdo Bonet 7-5, 4-6, 12-10. Patriot sophomore Dilshod Sharifi beat 11th-ranked Paul Bishop at No.2 singles 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (0-7), 10-7.

Both FMU squads will play host to Augusta State University on Thursday at 3 p.m.


Women’s Tennis Match Results
Armstrong Atlantic vs Francis Marion University
Mar 24, 2009 at Florence, SC

#1 Armstrong Atlantic 7, #9 Francis Marion University 2
Singles competition
1. #1 Sona Novakova (AASU) def. #9 Tereza Sykorova (FMU) 6-1, 6-2
2. #8 Alida Muller-Wehlau (AASU) def. Kristyna Horakova (FMU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Jitka Gavdunova (FMU) def. #18 Gabriella Kovacs (AASU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-4
4. #38 Martina Beckmann (AASU) def. Valeska Ibscher (FMU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Tina Ronel (AASU) def. Sabina Baberadova (FMU) 4-6, 6-2, 11-9
6. #33 Alisa Kagukina (AASU) def. Saskia Ludwig (FMU) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Jitka Gavdunova/Kristyna Horakova (FMU) def. #4 Martina Beckmann/Alida Muller-Wehlau (AASU) 8-4
2. #11 Sona Novakova/Gabriella Kovacs (AASU) def. Valeska Ibscher/Saskia Ludwig (FMU) 8-1
3. Tina Ronel/Kathleen Henry (AASU) def. Tereza Sykorova/Sabina Baberadova (FMU) 9-8 (7-2)

Match Notes:
Armstrong Atlantic 13-0, 8-0; National ranking #1; Regional ranking #1
Francis Marion University 12-3, 5-2; National ranking #9; Regional ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles ()
AASU has won 27 straight matches
T-4:30 A-43

Men’s Tennis Match Results
Armstrong Atlantic vs Francis Marion University
Mar 24, 2009 at Florence, SC

#5 Armstrong Atlantic 7, #11 Francis Marion University 2
Singles competition
1. #7 Oshada Wijemanne (FMU) def. #1 Edualdo Bonet (AASU) 7-5, 4-6, 12-10
2. Dilshod Sharifi (FMU) def. #11 Paul Bishop (AASU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (0-7), 10-7
3. Mikk Irdoja (AASU) def. Michael Hafke (FMU) 3-0, default
4. Paul Fitzgerald (AASU) def. Mario Kieck (FMU) 6-4, 4-6, 10-8
5. #37 Rafael Array (AASU) def. Karl Rogers (FMU) 6-1, 6-2
6. #21 Tim Johannsen (AASU) def. Dirk Bair (FMU) 6-1, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Paul Bishop/Mikk Irdoja (AASU) def. Oshada Wijemanne/Dilshod Sharifi (FMU) 8-5
2. #8 Rafael Array/Tim Johannsen (AASU) def. Matthew Keth/Karl Rogers (FMU) 8-1
3. Edualdo Bonet/Akos Torok (AASU) def. Dirk Bair/Mario Kieck (FMU) 8-4

Match Notes:
Armstrong Atlantic 12-1, 5-1; National ranking #5; Regional ranking #2
Francis Marion University 10-4, 2-4; National ranking #11; Regional ranking #4
Order of finish: Doubles (,2,3,1); Singles ()
Official: Mike Duff T-4:30 A-43


Michael G. Hawkins