Saturday, March 15, 2003

Penn State knocks off FIU, 5-2

hristine Suard and Courtney Jonson scored FIU's lone points as the Golden Panthers (4-10) fell to Penn State, 5-2, in a neutral site match played Saturday in Tempe, Ariz.

Suard defeated Penn State's Judy Wang at No. 4 singles, 6-3, 6-7, 6-0, while Jonson beat Lindsay Dowing at No. 6, 7-6, 6-3.

The Nitney Lions (6-5) took the doubles point by winning two-of-three matches. At No. 1, PSU's Leigh Ann Merryman and Maaria Hasain beat FIU's Mei Ly and Bruna Discordia, 8-3, and then Megan Marton and Wang beat the Golden Panthers Desanka Jovanovic and Suard, 8-0, to clinch the point.

FIU took the No. 3 doubles match when Jonson and Davina Duronio defeated Lindsay Downing and Sarah Spence, 8-6.

At No. 1 singles, Marton dispatched of Ly, 6-4, 6-4.

The Golden Panthers continue their Arizona swing Sunday afternoon against No. 7-ranked Arizona State in Tempe, beginning at 3:00 p.m. (ET).

Final: Penn State 5, FIU 2 Tempe, Fla. Doubles 1. Merryman/Husain (PSU) def. Discordia/Ly (FIU) 8-3. 2. Marton/Wang (PSU def. Suard/Jovanovic (FIU) 8-0. 3. Duronio/Jonson (FIU) def. Dowing/Spence (PSU) 8-1. Singles 1. Megan Marton (PSU) def. Mei Ly (FIU) 6-4, 6-4. 2. Leigh Ann Merryman (PSU) def. Bruna Discordia (FIU) 6-3, 6-2. 3. Maaria Husain (PSU) def. Desanka Jovanovic (FIU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1. 4. Christine Suard (FIU) def. Judy Wang (PSU) 6-3, 6-7, 6-0. 5. Sarah Spence (PSU) def. Davina Duronio (FIU) 6-1, 2-6, 6-3. 6. Courtney Jonson (FIU) def. Lindsay Downing (PSU) 7-6, 6-3.