FLORENCE, SC – The second-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State University women’s tennis team won its 92nd consecutive regular-season match by edging upset-minded Francis Marion University 7-2, Monday afternoon (April 16), while the third-ranked AASU men downed the 25th-ranked Patriot men 9-0 to clinch the 2007 Peach Belt Conference regular-season title.
The 19th-ranked Francis Marion women won 8-4 at No.1 doubles behind Sarka Vitkova and Jenny Ludwig and lost two tight decisions at No.2 and No.3 doubles. Vitkova celebrated her birthday by beating eighth-ranked Johanna Dahlback 2-7, 7-6, 10-8 at No.1 singles, but AASU won all the other singles matches in straight sets.
AASU improves to 22-0 overall and 11-0 in the PBC, while FMU drops to 13-6 and 6-5.
In the men’s match, FMU had only five healthy players after No.2 singles player and nationally ranked David Budler suffered an injury prior to the match. The Patriots were forced to default three matches and Chatwinder Singh retired in the second set of his singles match at the No.2 position.
FMU falls to 8-8 overall and 3-6 in the Peach Belt, while AASU is 21-3 and 9-0.
All four squads will take part in the PBC Tournament beginning Friday in Augusta, Ga.
WOMEN: #2 Armstrong Atlantic State Univ. 7, #19 Francis Marion University 2
Singles competition
1. Sarka Vitkova (FMU) def. #8 Johanna Dahlback (AASU) 2-6, 7-6, 10-8
2. #6 Dziyana Nazaruk (AASU) def. Jenny Ludwig (FMU) 6-3, 6-3
3. #29 Gabriella Kovacs (AASU) def. Kamini Murugaboopathy (FMU) 6-2, 6-4
4. #49 Sofia Haggstrom (AASU) def. Magda Jezovicova (FMU) 6-3, 7-5
5. Alisa Kagukina (AASU) def. Elizabeth Lee (FMU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Martina Beckmann (AASU) def. Maria Covell (FMU) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Sarka Vitkova/Jenny Ludwig (FMU) def. #23 Johanna Dahlback/Martina Beckmann (AASU) 8-4
2. Dziyana Nazaruk/Alisa Kagukina (AASU) def. Kamini Murugaboopathy/Maria Covell (FMU) 8-6
3. Gabriella Kovacs/Sofia Haggstrom (AASU) def. Elizabeth Lee/Magda Jezovicova (FMU) 9-7
Match Notes: #2 AASU 22-0, 11-0 PBC; #19 Francis Marion 13-6, 6-5 PBC
MEN: #3 Armstrong Atlantic State Univ. 9, #25 Francis Marion University 0
Singles competition
1. #19 Paul Bishop (AASU) def. Franklyn Emmanuel (FMU), by default
2. #18 Davor Zink (AASU) def. Chatwinder Singh (FMU) 6-4, 2-0, retired
3. Christian Bergh (AASU) def. Matthew Keth (FMU) 6-1, 7-6
4. Robert Jendelund (AASU) def. Dananjaya Mayadunne (FMU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Taavo Roos (AASU) def. James Machlachlan (FMU) 6-0, 6-0
6. Henrik Lilja (AASU) won by default
Doubles competition
1. #7 Robert Jendelund/Christian Bergh (AASU) def. Franklyn Emmanuel/Chatwinder Singh (FMU) 9-8
2. Cristian Easton/Paul Bishop (AASU) def. Dananjaya Mayadunne/Matthew Keth (FMU) 9-7
3. Kevin Sijmons/Henrik Lilja (AADU) won by default
Match Notes: #3 AASU 21-3, 9-0 PBC (clinched PBC regular-season title);#25 FMU 8-8, 3-6 PBC
