FLORENCE, S.C.--USC Aiken's women's tennis team defeated Francis Marion University, 6-3, yesterday in Florence, S.C. The Lady Pacers, the 40th ranked team in NCAA Division II, improve to 7-9 overall and 2-6 in Peach Belt Conference play. The Patriots drop to 4-8 in 2004 and 1-6 in the PBC.

FMU jumped out to an early lead by winning two of the three doubles matches. Otavia Bastos and Nicole Copp shutout the Patriot duo of Maria Covell and Jordon Gettys, 8-0, in the number three doubles match.

Kamini Murugaboopathy took the number one singles match for Francis Marion, but the Lady Pacers won the remaining five singles matches. 

Copp lost just two games in the number three singles match on her way to beating Lillian Jamieson, 6-1 and 6-1. Bastos fell behind after one set to Maria Cordrey in the number four singles match but came back to earn the win by a score of 2-6, 6-2 and 6-1. 

The Lady Pacer tennis team will be back in action on Tuesday when they host 27th ranked Augusta State University, for a Peach Belt Conference match, at the USC Aiken Tennis Complex, beginning at 1:00 p.m. 

USC Aiken defeats Francis Marion University 6-3
Singles:
#1 Kamini Murugaboopathy (FMU) defeats Mayra Kaefer (USCA) 6-2, 6-3
#2 Dominique Cassetori (USCA) defeats Stephanie Bush (FMU) 6-0, 6-4
#3 Nicole Copp (USCA) defeats Lillian Jamieson (FMU) 6-1, 6-1
#4 Otavia Bastos (USCA) defeats Maria Cordrey (FMU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
#5 Elly Toth (USCA) defeats Maria Covell (FMU) 6-4, 6-5
#6 Monica Budnichuk (USCA) defeats Jordon Gettys (FMU) 6-4, 6-1

Doubles:
1. Murugaboopathy/Bush (FMU) defeat Kaefer/Heather Thornton (USCA) 8-3
2. Jamieson/Cordrey (FMU) defeat Cassetori/Toth (USCA) 8-2
3. Bastos/Copp (USCA) defeat Covell/Gettys (FMU) 8-0