Florida Gators
ITA South Regional (Day1 of 4)
W-Tennis Perfect on Day 1 of ITA Regional Championship
Saturday, October 23, 2004 | Women's Tennis
Four members of the University of Florida women's tennis team combined to post a 9-0 record during the opening day of play at the Wilson/ITA South Regional Championships Friday at the University of Alabama Varsity Courts.
Whitney Benik (Delray Beach, Fla.), Lolita Frangulyan (Bradenton, Fla.), Alex Liles (Largo, Fla.) and Nina Suvak (Slovenia) each won two matches and advanced to the round of 16 in the 64-player singles draw. Additionally, Liles and Suvak won their first round doubles match.
Not only did the Gators combined for a perfect day, three of the team's second round matches were against nationally ranked and seeded opponents.
"It was a very good day for us," UF head coach Roland Thornqvist said. "All four played two solid matches. The best aspect of what I saw today is the improvement each of them has made since the first day of practice. I'm really pleased with how we're competing and look forward to Saturday because we have a lot of really tough matches next."
Alex Liles, a freshman, defeated a nationally ranked opponent for the first time in her young career, upsetting Georgia Tech's No. 9-seeded and 55th-ranked Kelly Anderson 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the second round.
Whitney Benik, another freshman, upset Ole Miss' 12th-seeded and 81st-ranked Ilona Somers 6-2, 7-5, while sophomore Nina Suvak eliminated Miami's 13th-seeded and 91st-ranked Staci Stevens 6-2, 6-3 in their respective second round contests.
Freshman Lolita Frangulyan lived up to her No. 15 seeding, topping Miami's Juliette Mavroleon 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in her second round match.
Only one of two Gator doubles teams took the court for Friday's opening round, as the pair of Alex Liles and Nina Suvak defeated USF's Liz Cruz and Fabiana Taverna in a 9-7 thriller. UF's other team of Whitney Benik and Lolita Frangulyan received the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.
Liles and Suvak next face Ole Miss' Mimi Renaudin and Ilona Somers, while Benik and Frangulyan take on Miami's Emily Mowery and Staci Stevens in the round of 16 on Saturday.
The singles finalists and doubles champion from this event will be rewarded with invitations to the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships at the University of Michigan, to be held November 4-7. The Indoor Championships are the second of three national championship events held during the season.
Florida is one of 21 schools with representatives competing this weekend in Tuscaloosa.
Wilson/ITA South Regional Championships
Varsity Courts, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Friday, October 22, 2004
UF Results Only
Main Draw Singles (A), First Round (field of 64)
Alex Liles, UF def. Roxanne Clarke, FSU 6-2, 6-0
Nina Suvak, UF def. Melissa Minor, Alabama 6-3, 6-1
Whitney Benik, UF def. Shilla D'Armas, FIU 6-4, 6-0
(15-seed) Lolita Frangulyan, UF def. Nancy Peaden, Auburn 6-3, 6-1
Main Draw Singles (A), Second Round (field of 32)
Alex Liles, UF def. (9-seed) Kelly Anderson (55), Georgia Tech 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
Nina Suvak, UF def. (13-seed) Staci Stevens (91), Miami 6-2, 6-3
Whitney Benik, UF def. (12-seed) Ilona Somers (81), Ole Miss 6-2, 7-5
(15-seed) Lolita Frangulyan, UF def. Juliette Mavroleon, Miami 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
Main Draw Doubles (A), First Round (field of 32)
Alex Liles/Nina Suvak, UF def. Liz Cruz/Fabiana Taverna, USF 9-7
(2-seed) Whitney Benik/Lolita Frangulyan, UF - first round bye
END OF REPORT
