Women’s Tennis Moves to Saturday’s C-USA Semifinals

Friday, April 19

Houston, Texas

3 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

Charlotte

4/19/2019 8:23:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

The Florida Atlantic University women's tennis team defeated Charlotte 4-1 on Friday afternoon to advance to the Conference USA semifinal round for the first time since 2015.

With the win, the Owls moved to 10-7 on the season and will face tournament host Rice at 1 p.m. Eastern on Saturday. Charlotte's season came to an end with the loss and the 49ers fell to 19-7.

FAU captured the doubles point in the best 2-of-3 dual match format with a tie-breaking win on court No. 2.

For the second consecutive day, freshman Barbora Palcatova made quick work of her No. 6 singles match with a straight-set 6-1, 6-1 victory. Palcatova, a freshman, has dropped just two games in two C-USA tournament matches. The Owls then dropped the No. 2 singles match and the lead fell to 2-1. Fellow freshman Martina Kudelova put the Owls back ahead by two coming from behind in her second set to take the No. 1 match, 6-4, 7-5. Kudelova's win moved FAU within one match win of the victory.

The middle two matches (No. 3 and No. 4) moved to a third and decisive set and ultimately would go unfinished, while Kristen Thoms, FAU's lone upperclassman and senior, seemed to have her match in control, although each point was a duel. Thoms closed out her match 6-2, 6-3 to clinch the match for FAU. Thoms' clinch marked the fourth time this season the Illinois native has been the final determiner.

HEAD COACH MARCY CAVA

"Charlotte played good tennis today. Their players showed a lot of fight and didn't give us an inch. The team (FAU) did a five-mile run on their own prior to playing today, so I knew they had enough gas in their engine. Each FAU player is in incredible shape, so we continue to control the things we can. The weather is right up our ally and we are here to represent FAU and get the W."

The tournament, hosted by Rice at the George R. Brown Tennis Center in Houston, can be followed via in-game scoring and live stream HERE. See the full bracket HERE.

Doubles Results
1. Tai Martin/Immie Cowper (CHA) def. Natalia Boltinskaya/Kristen Thoms (FAU) 6-2
2. May Kimhi/Martina Kudelova (FAU) def. Rocio Safont/Emma Scott (CHA) 7-6 (7-4)
3. Natalie Kallmunzerova/Barbora Palcatova (FAU) def. Sasha Lee/Pierina Imparato (CHA) 6-2

Singles Results
No. 1 #86 Martina Kudelova (FAU) def. Tai Martin (CHA) 6-4, 7-5
No. 2 Rocio Safort (CHA) def. Natalia Boltinskaya (FAU) 6-0, 6-3
No. 3 Natalie Kallmunzerova (FAU) vs. Sasha Lee (CHA) 6-1, 2-6, 4-3 unfinished
No. 4 May Kimhi (FAU) vs. (CHA) Pierina Imparato (CHA) 6-0, 6-7, 2-1, unfinished
No. 5 Kristen Thoms (FAU) def. Emma Scott (CHA) 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 Barbora Palcatova (FAU) def. Immie Cowper (CHA) 6-1, 6-1

Order of Finish
Doubles 1, 3, 2
Singles: 6, 2, 1, 5

NEXT UP

FAU will play host Rice at 1 p.m. Eastern on Saturday in the semifinals of the C-USA Women's Tennis Championship. Fans can follow the live video stream HERE or on Facebook and twitter at @FAUtennis.