March 13, 2011

Columbus – The ninth ranked Columbus State women's tennis flexed its muscles as the Lady Cougars defeated No. 13 Francis Marion 8-1 Sunday afternoon at the Mary V. Blackmon Tennis Center.  The Lady Cougars improve to 8-1 and 6-1 in conference action while FMU suffers its first lost of the season and now stand at 8-1 and 4-1 inside the PBC.

Columbus State swept all of the doubles matches to get off to an early 3-0 lead. Loriane Favoretto and Madeline Johnson defeated Jitka Gavdunova and Mona Blauen 8-5.  In second doubles Tracy Castillo and Olivera Jokic easily took down Caitlin Siney and Kathryn Vernon 8-0. Andrea Redrado and Renata Paiva bested Kerry Hall and Kimberley Hurter 8-4.

In singles action, No. 17 Castillo was upset by No. 33 Gavdunov 6-3 and 6-2.  Favoretto however pulled off an upset of her own taking down No. 31 Blauen 2-6, 7-6, 6-0. Johnson secured a 6-1 and 6-2 victory over Siney at third singles.  Jokic cruised to a 6-2 and 6-1 win versus Hurter. Redrado continued the Lady Cougars' winning ways defeating Hall 6-2, 6-3. Malin Colin won the final match of the day taking down Vernon 6-3, 7-5.

Columbus State will have a couple days off before returning to the courts on Wednesday, March 16 when they take on BYU-Hawaii.  The match is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m.

Singles
1. No. 33 Jitka Gavdunova (FMU) def. No. 17 Tracy Castillo (CSU) - 3-6, 6-3, 10-2
2. Loriane Favoretto (CSU) def. No. 31 Mona Blauen (FMU) - 2-6, 7-6, 6-0
3. Madeline Johnson (CSU) def. Caitlin Siney (FMU) - 6-1, 6-2
4. Olivera Jokic (CSU) def. Kimberley Hurter (FMU) - 6-2, 6-1
5. Andrea Redrado (CSU) def. Kerry Hall (FMU) - 6-2, 6-3
6. Malin Colin (CSU) def. Kathryn Vernon (FMU) - 6-3, 7-5

Doubles
1. Johnson and Favoretto (CSU) def. Gavdunova and Blauen (FMU) – 8-5
2. Castillo and Jokic (CSU) def. Siney and Kathryn Vernon (FMU) - 8-0
3. Redrado and Paiva (CSU) def. Hall and Hurter (FMU) - 8-4