Florida Gators
Texas
No. T2 Women's Tennis Topples No. 16 Texas, 7-0
Sunday, February 22, 2004 | Women's Tennis
The second-ranked University of Florida women's tennis team defeated No. 16 Texas with a 7-0 victory on Sunday afternoon in Gainesville. With the win, the Gators remained perfect on the season with a 4-0 record, while Texas suffered its first loss of the year in dropping to 4-1.
"With all respect for Texas I thought they were a good team, but a young one," said UF head coach Roland Thornqvist. "We will win lots of matches because this team is talented, but today we won because of our toughness. Ultimately, that is what it is going to come down to for us as far as how successful we will be this season."
Florida had little problem in the doubles as the Gators had the 1-0 lead in 42 minutes. UF's eighth-ranked Alexis Gordon and Julie Rotondi won six straight games after things were even with Texas' Katherin Ruckert and Kendra Strohm at two. Florida's 13th-ranked Jennifer Magley and Zerene Reyes clinched the point two minutes later when they also used an 8-2 margin to defeat the Longhorn duo of Petra Dizdari and Mia Marovic.
Florida's Boglarka Berecz and Nina Suvak (No. 33) made it three of three for the Gators on the doubles court as the pair cruised past Kelly Baritot and Ristine Olson, 8-3.
Suvak gave UF a 2-0 lead with her 6-4, 6-4, win at the bottom of the singles lineup over Ristine Olson, which came in one hour and 25 minutes. Florida's 99th-ranked Berecz had UF a point away from winning the match when she took a 6-0, 6-2 decision over Texas' Kelly Bantot on court four.
Florida's 27th-ranked Reyes provided the match winner when she took a straight set 6-2, 6-3 win over Texas' 52nd-ranked Kendra Strohm. At the top of the lineup, Gordon (ranked eighth) also had a straight set with as she outlasted Texas' Petra Dizdar (ranked No. 31) in the first set, 7-5, before finding more success in the second set, 6-1.
On court five, Texas' Mia Marovic was forced to retire due to injury midway through the third set to give Florida's Lindsay Dawaf the victory. At the time Marovic retired, Dawaf was leading the match, 6-2, 1-6, 3-2.
Magley (No. 16) rounded out the list of Gator winners as she outlasted Texas' Katherin Ruckert, 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Next up, Florida will begin conference play as the Gators host LSU on Friday, Feb. 27 at 5 p.m.
Women's College Tennis
Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex
Gainesville, Fla.
Sunday, February 22, 2004
Final Score: Florida 7, Texas 0
Doubles
No. 1 Alexis Gordon/Julie Rotondi (8), UF def. Katherin Rucker/Kendra Strohm, 8-2
No. 2 Jennifer Magley/Zerene Reyes (13), UF def. Petra Dizdar/Mia Marovic, 8-2 *
No. 3 Borlarka Berecz/Nina Suvak (33), UF def. Kelly Baritot/Ristine Olson, 8-3
Singles
No. 1 Alexis Gordon (6), UF def. Petra Dizdar (31), Texas, 7-5, 6-1
No. 2 Jennifer Magley (16), UF v. Katherin Ruckert, Texas, 1-6, 6-1, 6-3
No. 3 Zerene Reyes (27), UF v. Kendra Strohm (52), Texas, 6-2, 6-3**
No. 4 Boglarka Berecz (99), UF v. Kelly Baritot, Texas, 6-0, 6-2
No. 5 Lindsay Dawaf, UF d. Mia Marovic, Texas, 6-2, 1-6, 3-2 (ret.)
No. 6 Nina Suvak, UF d. Ristine Olson, Texas, 6-4, 6-4
*clinched doubles point; **clinched dual match
Order of Finish: Doubles 1,2*, 3; Singles 6, 4, 3, 1, 5, 2
END OF REPORT
