MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – With each match taking a 7-2 score, the Georgia College & State University tennis squads split with Francis Marion University today (March 22) at the Centennial Center Tennis Facility. The No. 22 Bobcat men upset No. 15 FMU, while the No. 10 Patriot women topped No. 15 GCSU.
On the men’s side, GCSU took two of the three doubles battles, picking up wins in the first and third slots. Erick Siqueira and Francis Yoshimoto dropped the No. 11 doubles duo of Franklyn Emmanuel and Oshada Wijemanne 8-5, while Max Beliankou and Giovane Nucci teamed for an 8-6 edging in the third spot for Georgia College. Dilshod Sharifi and Dananjaya Mayadunne picked up the lone doubles win for FMU at 9-7.
The Bobcats nearly swept singles action as well, including a ranked battle at the first slot. No. 13 Siqueira went three sets with Emmanuel, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, improving to 12-0 in singles action. Also running his record to 12-0 was Yoshimoto in second singles over Wijemanne 7-6, 6-2. The Bobcats also had wins from Beliankou, Nucci and Matthew Belenchia. FMU’s singles victory came from Karl Rodgers.
The Bobcat men rise to 9-3, 3-2 PBC with the win, dropping FMU to 11-2, 3-2 PBC.
For the women, FMU grabbed two of the three doubles bouts. The Bobcat women got an 8-3 upset from Celine Martin and Marjorie Ceppo over No. 7 Jenny Ludwig and Sarka Vitkova. Getting wins for the Patriots were Klara Vitkova and Valeska Ibscher as well as a shutout victory for Tereza Sykorova and Magda Jezovicova.
The Patriots also took singles play 5-1, including a 7-5, 6-4 victory from Sykorova over Martin in the first slot. No. 24 Vitkova continued the roll with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Ceppo in the second singles spot. Also nabbing singles wins for the Patriots were Ludwig, Ibscher and Jezovicova. Marie Lefevre took the lone GCSU singles win, a three-set victory in the fourth slot.
The Bobcat women fall to 8-4, 2-3 PBC, while FMU remains undefeated at 14-0, 6-0 PBC.
The Bobcats are back in action March 27 in Orlando for a neutral-site battle with Merrimack College. The Patriots return with a match March 23 at North Georgia College & State University.
