Patriot Women pull near upset, place second at PBC Tournament

NORCROSS, Ga. - The eighth-ranked Francis Marion University women's tennis team survived a four-and-a-half-hour rain delay and a venue change to nearly pull off one of the biggest upset in Peach Belt Conference history. The Patriots led 2-1 after doubles plays, but third-ranked and defending national champion Armstrong Atlantic State University rallied during singles play to claim a 5-3 win for its sixth straight Peach Belt Conference championship, late Sunday evening (April 19) at the Racquet Club of the South in Norcross, Ga.

Francis Marion drops to 18-4 with the tough loss. FMU lost to AASU 7-2 during the regular season. It was the second straight championship match appearance for the Patriots.

The Lady Pirates (22-1), the top seed in the tournament, clinched their 15th PBC tournament title in the past 17 seasons. AASU has also won 37 of its last 38 matches.

AASU picked up a doubles point behind the No. 2-ranked duo of Martina Beckmann and Alida Muller-Wehlau, who bested FMU’s 17th-ranked Kristyna Horakova and Jitka Gavdunova 8-3 at No. 1 doubles. The Patriots, however, picked up a quick doubles point as Saskia Ludwig and Valeska Ibscher won easily 8-1 at No. 3 doubles. The pivotal No. 2 doubles match went the way of Francis Marion’s Tereza Sykorova and Sabina Baberadova, who knocked off No. 7-ranked Gabriella Kovacs and Sona Novakova 9-7, handing the AASU duo their first dual match loss of the season.

In singles play, the Lady Pirates picked up four singles wins to clinch the match. Top-ranked Novakova beat 18th-ranked Sykorova 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 singles, while No. 16-ranked Muller-Wehlau defeated No. 48-ranked Horakova 6-1, 6-0 at the No. 2 position. FMU's lone singles point came at No. 3 singles when Gavdunova upset No. 30-ranked Beckmann in three sets: 6-4, 0-6, 6-4.

Nineteenth-ranked Gabriella Kovacs beat Ibscher, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 4 singles, and then Kathleen Henry won the clinching match with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Ludwig at No. 6 singles to claim the title.

Francis Marion will now await the announcement of the NCAA Division II National Tournament field. FMU will likely earn a bid and could serve as a regional host (May 7-8) for the second straight year.
On Saturday, Francis Marion defeated sixth-seeded and 22nd-ranked Georgia College & State 5-1 and upset second-seeded and sixth-ranked Columbus State University 5-3 to reach the title match.

In the upset victory over CSU, Francis Marion captured wins at the top two doubles positions and Horakova and Gavdunova earned singles wins over top-50 ranked opponents, both in straight sets.



PBC CHAMPIONSHIP
Women’s Tennis Match Results
Apr 19, 2009 at Norcross, Georgia

#3 Armstrong Atlantic 5, #8 Francis Marion 3
Singles competition
1. #1 Sona Novakova (AASU) def. #18 Tereza Sykorova (FMU) 6-2, 6-2
2. #16 Alida Muller-Wehlau (AASU) def. #48 Kristyna Horakova (FMU) 6-1, 6-0
3. Jitka Gavdunova (FMU) def. #30 Martina Beckmann (AASU) 6-4, 0-6, 6-4
4. #19 Gabriella Kovacs (AASU) def. Valeska Ibscher (FMU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Tina Ronel (AASU) vs. Sabina Baberadova (FMU) unfinished
6. Kathleen Henry (AASU) def. Saskia Ludwig (FMU) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. #2 Martina Beckmann/Alida Muller-Wehlau (AASU) def. #17 Kristyna Horakova/Jitka Gavdunova (FMU) 8-3
2. Tereza Sykorova/Sabina Baberadova (FMU) def. #7 Gabriella Kovacs/Sona Novakova (AASU) 9-7
3. Saskia Ludwig/Valeska Ibscher (FMU) def. Kathleen Henry/Tina Ronel (AASU) 8-1

Match Notes:
Francis Marion 18-4; National ranking #8; Regional ranking #3
Armstrong Atlantic 22-1; National ranking #3; Regional ranking #1
2009 Peach Belt Conference Women's Tennis Tournament Championship
Sixth straight PBC Tournament championship and 15th overall for Armstrong Atl.
Championship moved to Racquet Club of the South due to inclement weather
Played on indoor courts
T-3:30

PBC SEMIFINALS
Women’s Tennis Match Results
Apr 18, 2009 at Jonesboro, Georgia

#8 Francis Marion 5, #6 Columbus State 3
Singles competition
1. #6 Eva Petschnig (CSU) def. #18 Tereza Sykorova (FMU) 6-4, 6-2
2. #48 Kristyna Horakova (FMU) def. #24 Roxana Dondera (CSU) 6-1, 6-1
3. Jitka Gavdunova (FMU) def. #42 Hanane Toumi (CSU) 6-1, 6-4
4. Daniela Castillo (CSU) vs. Valeska Ibscher (FMU) unfinished
5. Sabina Baberadova (FMU) def. Lindsey Groenewald (CSU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)
6. Erin Reynolds (CSU) def. Saskia Ludwig (FMU) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #17 Jitka Gavdunova/Kristyna Horakova (FMU) def. #14 Eva Petschnig/Lindsey Groenewald (CSU) 8-5
2. Tereza Sykorova/Sabina Baberadova (FMU) def. Hanane Toumi/Roxana Dondera (CSU) 9-8 (7-9)
3. Daniela Castillo/Erin Reynolds (CSU) def. Saskia Ludwig/Valeska Ibscher (FMU) 8-5

Match Notes:
Francis Marion 18-3; National ranking #8; Regional ranking #3
Columbus State 20-3; National ranking #6; Regional ranking #2
2009 Peach Belt Conference Women's Tennis Tournament
Francis Marion advances to play Armstrong Atlantic in Sunday's PBC Championship
T-4:00 A-42

PBC FIRST-ROUND
Tennis Match Results
Apr 18, 2009 at Jonesboro, GA

#8 Francis Marion 5, #22 Georgia College & State Univ. 1
Singles competition
1. #18 Tereza Sykorova (FMU) vs. #47 Marjorie Ceppo (GCSU) unfinished
2. Diane Danna (GCSU) def. #48 Kristyna Horakova (FMU) 6-2, 0-1, retired
3. Jitka Gavdunova (FMU) vs. Bertille Lion (GCSU) unfinished
4. Valeska Ibscher (FMU) def. Gabby Acuna (GCSU) 6-1, 6-1
5. Sabina Baberadova (FMU) def. Angy Cuellar (GCSU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Saskia Ludwig (FMU) vs. Adriana Acuna (GCSU) unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #17 Kristyna Horakova/Jitka Gavdunova (FMU) def. Marjorie Ceppo/Gabby Acuna (GCSU) 8-4
2. Tereza Sykorova/Sabina Baberadova (FMU) def. Diane Danna/Bertille Lion (GCSU) 8-1
3. Saskia Ludwig/Valeska Ibscher (FMU) def. Angy Cuellar/Adriana Acuna (GCSU) 8-2

Match Notes:
Georgia College & State Univ. 10-10; National ranking #22; Regional ranking #6
Francis Marion 17-3; National ranking #8; Regional ranking #3
2009 Peach Belt Conference Women's Tennis Tournament
Francis Marion advances to this evening's semifinals against Columbus State
T-2:30 A-21