SAVANNAH, GA – Sixteenth-ranked Francis Marion University rallied from a 4-3 deficit in singles play to pick up a five-hour-long 5-4 upset over 11th-ranked Georgia College & State University in the first round of the NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic Women's Tennis Regional in Savannah on Thursday afternoon (May 4).
The Patriots (20-5) lost two of three doubles matches to the Bobcats (15-9) and faced elimination after GC&SU picked up two singles wins from (#11) Anna Shchupak and Jessica McKnight. FMU sophomore Jenny Ludwig, ranked 38th in NCAA Division II singles, outlasted 46th-ranked Celine Martin 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 at No. 2 singles to tie the match at 4-4. Patriot junior Magda Jezovicova then closed out Sofia Intriago in three sets 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 for the clinching victory - Francis Marion's first win in NCAA Championships play since 1999.
Francis Marion now advances to face host Armstrong Atlantic State University in the Mid-Atlantic Region title match at 10 a.m. on Friday. The top-ranked and defending national champion Lady Pirates (26-0) defeated Shaw University 6-0 earlier on Thursday for AASU's 56th consecutive match win.
2006 Mid-Atlantic Regional - First Round
Francis Marion 5, GC&SU 4
Singles
#1 - #11 Anna Shchupak (GCSU) def. Sarka Vitkova (FMU) 6-3, 6-1
#2 - #38 Jenny Ludwig (FMU) def. #46 Celine Martin (GCSU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
#3 - #50 Kamina Murugaboopathy (FMU) def. Anna Davidsson (GCSU) 6-0, 6-1
#4 - Magda Jezovicova (FMU) def. Sofia Intriago (GCSU) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
#5 - Elizabeth Lee (FMU) def. Gabby Acuna (GCSU) 6-3, 6-3
#6 - Jessica McKnight (GCSU) def. Sarah Hickman (FMU) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles
#1 - #8 Shchupak/Martin (GCSU) def. #18 Ludwig/Murugaboopathy (FMU) 8-5
#2 - Vitkova/Jezovicova (FMU) def. Davidsson/McKnight (GCSU) 8-6
#3 - Acuna/Intriago (GCSU) def. Lee/Maria Covell (FMU) 8-5
Records: FMU (20-5), GC&SU (15-9)
