GREENVILLE, S.C. – UNCG freshman tennis standout Erika Barquero earned a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Furman's Julia Adams in a battle of No. 3 singles, but it was the 43rd-ranked Paladins that emerged with the 6-1 team victory in the Southern Conference opener for the Spartans on Wednesday, March 13.

Furman grabbed the early advantage, when the duo of Katty Weymouth / Madison Dillon earned a 6-2 victory over Emily Ory / Brianna Gomez. Adams / Katarina Kozarov followed with a 6-3 triumph over the pairing of Barquero / Nancy Bridges to secure the first point for the Paladins.

Carol Elizabeth Kerman / Taylor Melville completed the doubles sweep for Furman with a 6-3 win against Sophia Adams / Eugenia Camacho.

The Paladins assumed the 2-0 lead as Madison Dillon, the nation's 123rd-ranked player, posted a 6-0, 6-1 over Gomez. That was quickly followed by Georgie Walker's victory against Ory by scores of 6-0, 6-1.

The match-clinching win came as Katty Weymouth posted a 6-3, 6-3 win against Adams, giving Furman a 4-0 advantage. Kerman extended the lead to five points with a 6-3, 6-3 downing of Camacho in the clash of No. 5 seeds.

After Barquero provided the Spartans with their first point of the day, teammate Bridges took 50th-ranked Kozarov to three sets before falling 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6).

UNCG returns home to host its next four matches, beginning with a showdown against Wofford on Saturday, March 16 on 1 p.m.