Davidson W. Tennis Reaches Semifinals of SoCon Tourney With 4-1 Win

Friday, April 24

Elon, N.C.

9:00 a.m.

Davidson College Athletics

vs. #4 Georgia Southern (Quarterfinal Rd.)

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Davidson W. Tennis Reaches Semifinals of SoCon Tourney With 4-1 Win

4/24/2009 12:52:42 PM | Women's Tennis

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Match Results

ELON, N.C. – Behind the strong play of All-Southern Conference performers Michele Fanney (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Virginia Berry (Spartanburg, S.C.), the Davidson women's tennis team reached the semifinals of the SoCon Tournament with a 4-1 win over fourth-seeded Georgia Southern on Friday morning at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.

Davidson, seeded fifth, pushed its overall record to 12-11 and avenge a regular-season loss to the Eagles back on Mar. 14. GSU closes out its 2009 season at 13-6.

Fanney and Berry went perfect in the match, tallying a win together in doubles play and then each scored straight set wins at the No. 1 and 2 singles positions to lead the 'Cats to the win. The duo opened the match with an 8-3 doubles win at No. 1 over Kristi Kegerreis and Molly Maddox.

Closing out the doubles point for Davidson was the tandem of sophomore Alison Rauh (Trier, Germany) and senior Lora Dushanova (Silven, Bulgaria), who took home an 8-4 victory at No. 2.

Berry, who was named to the league's first team on Thursday, tallied the second Wildcat point by rolling to a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 2 singles. She matched her career-high in singles wins with her 17th of the year.

After the Eagles picked up a singles win at the No. 4 spot, Fanney earned a sweep over Kegerreis with a 6-2, 6-3 triumph at No. 1. The second-team All-SoCon member evened her record on the season to 11-11.

Rounding out the final point for Davidson and helping seal the match was Dushanova, who matched Berry and Fanney with a perfect morning. She gave up just two games in a straight set, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Shea Huxtable at the No. 6 singles spot. The senior pushed her winning streak to three in a row as she sits at 4-1 in singles action.

Davidson, playing in the semifinals for the eighth straight season, now has the task of trying to get past top-seeded Furman on Saturday at 10 a.m.

The Wildcats and Paladins have matched up three times in the past four years, with all three matches coming in the finals and Furman taking all three contests.