The Francis Marion University women's tennis team faced a narrow 4-3 loss against Lees-McRae College, highlighted by a critical three-set match at the No. 1 singles position. With this defeat, the Patriots' record stands at 8-9 overall and 7-3 in Conference Carolinas play. Despite a strong start with a dominant doubles win at No. 3, the team was unable to secure the overall victory. The match concluded with FMU's Janka Juhasz winning at No. 3 singles, but it wasn't enough to turn the tide. The Patriots will head into their final regular-season matches against Barton College and Chowan University later this week.

By the Numbers
  • Final match score: Francis Marion 3, Lees-McRae 4
  • Patriots' overall record: 8 wins, 9 losses; Conference record: 7 wins, 3 losses
State of Play
  • The Patriots lost the doubles point, winning only at No. 3 doubles.
  • FMU managed to win three singles matches but could not secure the overall win.
What's Next

Francis Marion will conclude its regular season with road matches against Barton College on Wednesday and Chowan University on Saturday, aiming to finish strong.

Bottom Line

The close loss underscores the need for the Patriots to enhance their competitive edge in upcoming matches as they prepare to enter the crucial end of their season.