April 6, 2006

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina nearly picked up its first-ever point against the 13-time Southern Conference tournament champion Lady Paladins on Thursday afternoon at the Catamount Athletic Complex, but a late rally at number one helped preserve the shutout as Furman blanked the Catamounts, 7-0.

The loss relegates Western to 3-15 on the season, 0-7 in Southern Conference action while Furman captured its sixth-straight victory to improve to 13-6 overall, 6-0 in league play.

Due to threatening skies, the two squads opened the match in singles competition in five of the six flights as Western defaulted the number six position to give the Lady Paladins the 1-0 edge. Furman took control in the match as freshman Natasha Manojlovic defeated WCU freshman walk-on, Carley Abbott, in straight sets at number five, 6-0, 6-0.

The Lady Paladins added the winning points at number two and four, respectively, as sophomore Susanna Sjokvist fell 6-0, 6-1 to Furman junior Bonnie Baird and freshman Holly Stocks won two games in each set, but fell by identical scores of 6-2 to junior Jacqueline Eckert. The three singles wins, coupled with the default at number six, gave Furman the match victory.

Finishing fourth at the number three seed, sophomore Mariona Trilla Jane fell to Furman's Lauren Tomory, 6-1 and 6-3.

The best match of the day, and Western Carolina's best opportunity to break the scoreless-streak versus Furman which dates back to 1998, was contested at number one between sophomores Trish Hanson of Western and Furman's Lauren Osborne. After digging a 2-1 hole, Hanson split the next pair of sets to remain one back, 3-2. Using a strong service, the Alpharetta, Ga., native swept the next two games to claim her first lead of the set, 4-3. She continued to serve strong and won the opening set, 6-4. However, the serve which benefited her through the first set troubled her in the second, falling 6-0, and again in the tiebreaker, dropping the match, 10-3.

In doubles competition, Western dropped both contested matches by identical, 8-2, tallies. At number one, Hanson/Trilla Jane fell to Osborne/Eckert, while Furman's Tomory teamed with senior Shannon Moore to claim victory at number two.

Western remains at home on Saturday, April 8, as it steps out of conference for the final time this season, hosting the Radford Highlanders at 2:00 pm at the Catamount Athletic Complex. WCU has faced Radford once since 1998, defeating the Highlanders 6-1 back in 2002 in Hilton Head.

Furman 7, Western Carolina 0
Cullowhee, N.C. - April 6, 2006
Singles
1.	Lauren Osborne (FUR) def. Trish Hanson (WCU) 4-6, 6-0 (10-3)
2.	Bonnie Baird (FUR) def. Susanna Sjokvist (WCU) 6-0, 6-1
3.	Lauren Tomory (FUR) def. Mariona Trilla Jane (WCU) 6-0
4.	Jacqueline Eckert (FUR) def. Holly Stocks (WCU) 6-2, 6-2
5.	Natasha Manojlovic (FUR) def. Carley Abbott (WCU) 6-0, 6-0
6.	Lisa Bornt-Davis (FUR) won by default
Doubles
1.	Osborne/Eckert (FUR) def. Hanson/Trilla Jane (WCU) 8-2
2.	Moore/Tomory (FUR) def, Sjovkst/Stocks (WCU) 8-2
3.	Baird/Manojlovic (FUR) won by default
Finishing Order:
Singles: 5, 2, 4, 3, 1 (did not contest 6)
Doubles: 2, 1 (did not contest 3)