Samford Media Guide

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University women's tennis team will begin play in a pivotal three-match Southern Conference homestand Saturday at 10:30 a.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs welcome the Furman Lady Paladins to the Samford Tennis Center.
 
Samford (6-9, 1-3 SoCon) recently closed out an arduous four-match road swing Wednesday with a tough contest against the 39^th-ranked Tulane Green Wave and suffered a 4-1 defeat at the hands of its highest-ranked opponent of the 2013 campaign.
 
With the loss, the Bulldogs remained winless on the road this season and moved to 0-7 when playing away from Birmingham, Ala. The setback also proved to be the Bulldogs' fifth in a row, dating back to March 2 when they earned a 7-0 Southern Conference triumph over Western Carolina.
 
At home this season, Samford boasts a 6-2 record and has earned victories against Austin Peay, 7-0, Kennesaw State, 6-1, Mercer, 7-0, Jacksonville State, 4-1, Southern Miss, 5-2, and Western Carolina, 7-0.
 
Furman (6-6, 2-0 SoCon) enters Saturday's contest with a full head of steam as the Lady Paladins sport a two-match winning streak.
 
Last week, Furman posted a 5-2 home victory against East Carolina and then tallied a dominant 7-0 triumph over Wofford on Wednesday.
 
In the Lady Paladins' shutout win against Wofford, they swept the doubles competition to win the opening point. Senior Lauren Kline and sophomore Alex Moreno-Kaste teamed up to defeat Julia Paulson and Lucy Shermerhorn, 8-3, in the top spot, while senior Michele Stanford and junior Amanda Murray notched an 8-1 win versus Sarah Evans and Mareli Sanches in the flight No. 2 matchup.
 
At No. 3, sophomore Kelly Sullivan and junior Margaret Boyette topped Othilia Lindqvist and Emily Przystawski, 8-1.
 
In singles action, Furman continued the sweep as Kline came from behind in the second set for a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Evans on court No. 1. Moreno-Kaste then beat Audrey Coventry, 6-0, 6-1, in the second-seeded match. 
 
The Lady Paladins' junior Katherine Oudin recorded a 6-3, 6-2 advantage over Paulson at No. 3, while Stanford defeated Sanchez, 6-3, 6-1, at flight No. 4. In the No. 5 match, Murray bested Schermerhorn, 6-2, 6-1, as Sullivan bested Przystawski, 6-3, 6-1 at flight No. 6. 
 
In last season's annual matchup between Samford and Furman, the Bulldogs came up short in a 5-2 decision to the Lady Paladins. The contest was held at Furman's Mickel Tennis Center.
 
Samford swept the 2012 doubles competition with wins from the pairings of Kristin Lewis and Lindsey Mallory on court No. 1, 8-3, Madelie Janse Van Rensburg and Rebecca Kirven on court No. 2, 8-6, and Stephanie N'tcha and Adri Lochner in the No. 3 matchup, 8-5.
 
Despite losing the doubles point, Furman bounced back in singles play and rallied for wins on five of the six courts. With their play in singles, the Lady Paladins registered a 5-2 team victory.
 
Samford's triumph in singles play occurred on court No. 5 as senior Lindsey Mallory outlasted Furman's Moreno-Kaste, 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (5).
 
Following Saturday's key home contest against the Furman Lady Paladins, the Samford women's tennis team will next be in action Sunday at noon as the Bulldogs play host to the Davidson Wildcats in another critical league contest to be held at the Samford Tennis Center.
 
Admission is FREE to all Samford home tennis matches.

Samford Media Guide