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Wingate, N.C.----The Francis Marion University tennis teams swept an NCAA Division II twin bill Saturday over host Wingate University. Both Patriot teams claimed 7-2 decisions at the WU Tennis Complex.
 
Each of the four teams is nationally ranked in the Campbell/Intercollegiate Tennis Association NCAA Division II pre-season top 50 rankings. The Bulldog men are number 26, while the Wingate women are number 30. The Francis Marion men are number 20, while the Patriot women are number 10.
 
#10 Francis Marion women 7, #30 Wingate 2
(FMU 3-0 overall, Wingate 3-1 overall)
 
Wingate sophomore Tiffany Williams (Cary, N.C.) won two matches for the hosts. In singles, Williams defeated FMU junior Caitlin Siney (Harare, Zimbabwe) 6-3, 6-2 at the number six position. Earlier in the day, Williams and classmate Becca Thomas (Alpharetta, Ga.) topped Siney and junior Kimberley Hurter (Cape Town, South Africa) 8-2 in the number three doubles match.
 
Thomas dropped a tough three-set decision to Patriot sophomore Julia Graf (Aerzen, Germany) at the number three singles flight. Graf prevailed 6-4, 5-7, 6-0. In the battle of the number one players, FMU senior Mona Blauen (Cologne, Germany) defeated Wingate junior Ali Evers (Roswell, Ga.) 6-1, 6-2.
 
#20 Francis Marion men 7, #26 Wingate 2
(FMU 3-0 overall, Wingate 3-3 overall)
 
The visiting Patriots avenged a 5-4 loss from last season; Francis Marion swept the doubles and won two of the three three-set singles matches Saturday. Wingate junior Ryan Forbes (Charlotte, N.C.) and sophomore Neal Towlson (Warwick, Bermuda) picked up points for the Bulldogs.
 
Towlson defeated FMU junior Tim Ruepke (Bremen, Germany) 6-1, 6-2 at the number two singles flight. Towlson has 18 dual-match singles in his Bulldog tennis career. Forbes earned a 5-7, 6-1, 10-5 decision over Francis Marion sophomore Eimon Heywood (Huddersfield, England) in the number five singles match. Forbes and Heywood played a 10-point tie-breaker in lieu of the third set.
 
Wingate freshmen Kennedy Cancelado (Miami Springs, Fla.) and Sebastian Hall (Lörrach, Germany) both took their opponents to three sets Saturday. At the number one flight, Cancelado lost a 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-1 contest to FMU senior Alex Caspari (Hurth, Germany). Hall fell 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 to countryman Arnaud Holl (Walldorf, Germany) at the number four position.
 
Both Wingate teams open South Atlantic Conference play Tuesday, traveling to Hickory High School to face Lenoir-Rhyne. Both Bulldog teams are the defending SAC regular season and tournament champions.  First serve is slated for 2:30 p.m. Francis Marion visits local rival Coker Sunday for a 1 p.m. men’s and women’s doubleheader.