Florida Gators
South Florida
UF W Tennis Proves Victorious Against USF, 6-1
Friday, February 22, 2002 | Women's Tennis
The fifth-ranked University of Florida women's tennis team defeated South Florida 6-1 at home on Thursday. Florida lost only a total of 15 games in the five singles matches contested in route to its 41st victory against USF in 42 meetings.
The victory also improves the Gators' all time record to 283-23, and they improve to 166-9 at home. UF is 3-0 this season, while USF falls to 2-4.
"I thought we played really well. Doubles was better today than yesterday, which I had expected," UF head coach Roland Thornqvist said.
The Gators swept the doubles competition to lead the dual match 1-0. Jessica Lehnhoff and Lindsay Dawaf clinched the point for the Gators by defeating Patricia Kolendo and Natalie Schwartz 8-3 at No. 1. The Florida sweep began when Alexis Gordon and Julia Scaringe defeated Claudia Nieto and Jennifer Sinclair 8-0. Gordon and Scaringe moved from the No. 3 position in yesterday's match against FSU to the No. 2 position in today's match. Gordon and Scaringe have won 16 of their 21 games played together. Annika Bengtsson and Zerene Reyes defeated Ashlee Callahan and Jackie Spicijaric 8-2 to complete the sweep.
"Any time you have a doubles team that doesn't get scored on, you're doing something right," Thornqvist said.
Florida and South Florida were tied 1-1, as the Gators defaulted the No. 6 singles position due to Scaringe's injury.
Florida's dual match victory was clinched when sophomore Dawaf defeated Genevieve Houle in two sets, both with scores of 6-1. Dawaf has successfully clinched two consecutive dual match victories this season for the Gators.
The Florida and USF 1-1 tie was broken when Gordon defeated Sinclair in two sets with the scores 6-0 and 6-1. The Gator lead rose to 3-1 after Lehnhoff defeated Schwartz in two sets, 6-0 and 6-2. Bengtsson defeated Kolendo in two sets with both scores of 6-3. Reyes concluded the dual match by defeating Callahan with scores of 6-3 and 6-1.
"At positions four and five, they [USF] played their hearts out. They gave us a little trouble," Thornqvist said.
Florida returns to action on Friday, March 1 when the Gators begin their SEC competition at Mississippi in Oxford, MS at 12 p.m. Central Time.
NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS
Florida 6, South Florida 1
Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex
Gainesville, Fla.
Feb. 21, 2002
Doubles
1-Jessica Lehnhoff/Lindsay Dawaf (2), UF d. Patricia Kolendo/Natalie Schwartz, USF 8-3
2-Alexis Gordon/Julia Scaringe, UF d. Claudia Nieto/Jennifer Sinclair, USF 8-0
3-Annika Bengtsson/Zerene Reyes, UF d. Ashlee Callahan/Jackie Spicijaric, USF 8-2
Singles
1-Jessica Lehnhoff (2), UF d. Natalie Schwartz, USF 6-0, 6-2
2-Lindsay Dawaf (22), UF d. Genevieve Houle, USF 6-1, 6-1
3-Alexis Gordon (48), UF d. Jennifer Sinclair, USF 6-0, 6-1
4-Zerene Reyes, UF d. Ashlee Callahan, USF 6-3, 6-1
5-Annika Bengtsson, UF d. Patricia Kolendo, USF 6-3, 6-3
6-UF default
END OF REPORT
