FMU Women fall to #1 Lady Pirates 5-1 in NCAA Regional Final
SAVANNAH, GA – Top-ranked, unbeaten, and two-time NCAA Division II defending national champion Armstrong Atlantic State University captured two of three doubles matches and then won three singles matches in straight sets to claim a 5-1 win over 14th-ranked Francis Marion University, Saturday afternoon (May 8) in the championship match of the Southeast Regional Women’s Tennis Tournament at Bacon Park.
The Lady Pirates (29-0) earn their 16th consecutive trip to the Round of 16, the longest current active streak among Division II schools. The National Championships will be played at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
Francis Marion ends its 2010 season at 17-6, as the Patriots were vying for their third straight trip to the Round of 16.
AASU took a 2-1 lead after doubles play. FMU’s lone point came at No.1 doubles where the second-ranked duo of Sabina Baberadova and Tereza Sykorova bested third-ranked Martina Beckmann and Alida Muller-Wehlau 8-3. For AASU, 21st-ranked Kathleen Henry and Tina Ronel blanked FMU’s Karine Augur and Kerry Hall 8-0 at No. 3 doubles and No. 4-ranked Gabriella Kovacs - less than an hour after walking in AASU's graduation ceremony downtown - and Sona Novakova downed 13th-ranked Mona Blauen and Jitka Gavdunova 8-1 at No. 2 doubles
The Lady Pirates notched a quick 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 6 singles, a 6-0, 6-3 decision at No. 5 singles, and second-ranked Novakova clinched the match with a 6-1, 6-1 win over No. 10-ranked Sykorova at No. 1 singles.
AASU enters the Round of 16 on a 44-match win streak and over the last three seasons, the Lady Pirates have won 89 of their last 91 matches.
2010 NCAA Southeast Regional
#1 Armstrong
Atlantic State 5, #14 Francis Marion University 1
May 08, 2010 at Savannah, Ga. (Bacon Park)
Singles competition
1. #2 Sona Novakova (AASU) def. #10 Tereza Sykorova (FMU)
6-1, 6-1
2. #4 Alida Muller-Wehlau (AASU) vs. #36 Sabina Baberadova (FMU)
6-1, 3-0, unfinished
3. #19 Tina Ronel (AASU) vs. #34 Jitka Gavdunova (FMU) 3-6, 1-4,
unfinished
4. #21 Gabriella Kovacs (AASU) vs. Mona Blauen (FMU) 6-4, 4-0,
unfinished
5. #27 Martina Beckmann (AASU) def. Kerry Hall (FMU) 6-0, 6-3
6. #41 Kathleen Henry (AASU) def. Karine Augur (FMU) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. #2 Sabina Baberadova/Tereza Sykorova (FMU) def. #3
Martina Beckmann/Alida Muller-Wehlau (AASU) 8-3
2. #4 Gabriella Kovacs/Sona Novakova (AASU) def. #13 Mona
Blauen/Jitka Gavdunova (FMU) 8-1
3. #21 Kathleen Henry/Tina Ronel (AASU) def. Karine Augur/Kerry
Hall (FMU) 8-0
Match Notes
Francis Marion University 17-6; National ranking #14
Armstrong Atlantic State 29-0; National ranking #1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,5,1)
2010 NCAA Southeast Regional - Final
T-2:17 A-125
FMU junior Jitka Gavdunova hitting a return in Saturday's Southeast Regional final against top-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State University
