Florida Gators
LSU
Women's Tennis Sweeps LSU in SEC Opener
Saturday, February 28, 2004 | Women's Tennis
The second ranked University of Florida women's tennis team swept LSU 7-0 on a blustery cold Friday evening at the Ring Tennis Complex. The match, which was the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams, was the Gator's 22nd consecutive victory dating back to last season.
The match began with the temperatures in the low 40's and dipped into the 30's by the time the match concluded, but the Gators were sizzling once they stepped onto the court and extended the impressive series record against LSU to 28-0.
"I knew LSU was a team that would fight until the bitter end and they did tonight," UF head coach Roland Thornqvist said. "Weather can really be an equalizer and I told the team that it was going to be very important for us to get off to a good start in the first set of singles and I think we did a good job tonight. I'm really pleased with our doubles play right now. From the first match this year, we've looked really good. That's going to help us down the stretch."
The Gators (5-0, 1-0 SEC) did just as Thornqvist asked, as UF jumped out quickly on all six singles courts and cruised to a solid win against the visiting Tigers (7-2, 0-1 SEC).
Sophomore Jennifer Magley continued her impressive play and was the first Gator to win her singles match, posting a 6-2, 6-1 victory at the No. 2 position over Rocio Fantilli. Junior Alexis Gordon was the next Gator off the court, downing Jessica Ferguson 6-3, 6-2 at the No. 1 spot. Freshman Nina Suvak then provided the clinching dual match victory with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Daysi Espinal at No. 6.
Julie Rotondi, Zerene Reyes and Boglarka Berecz also added singles victories to complete the sweep, as the Gators won their 26th straight home match and improved to an astounding 115-1 all time at home against SEC foes.
The Gators swept the all three doubles matches for the fifth straight outing and have yet to drop a doubles contest in dual match action this season. UF's No. 2 pair of Jennifer Magley and Zerene Reyes raced out to a 4-0 lead and never looked backed en route to a 38 minute 8-1 victory over Jessica Ferguson and Marina Chiarelli. UF earned breaks in the first, third and seventh games to take the win, as Magley and Reyes posted their 45th doubles victory as a pair. They are now one win shy of tying for fourth place all-time in Gator history for victories by a doubles duo.
The Gator's Boglarka Berecz and Nina Suvak battled on the No. 3 court against Camila Caliari and Daysi Espinal and emerged with a tough 8-5 win to clinch the doubles point in 51 minutes. The match was played on serve through the first seven games before the Gator duo took a 5-3 lead with the first break of the contest. LSU broke right back on Berecz's serve, but the Gators regrouped and earned their third break before eventually serving out for the win.
Alexis Gordon and Julie Rotondi then completed the doubles sweep with their hard-fought 8-5 win over Rocio Fantilli and Lauren Seaman. The Gators found themselves in an early 3-1 deficit before ripping off the next five games, as Gordon held and then breaking Seaman at love to even the match. LSU continued to battle and earned a break in the 11th game, but the Gators struck back by taking Fantilli's serve at love in the next game before Gordon held for the match.
Women's College Tennis
Gainesville, Fla., Ring Tennis Complex
Friday, February 27, 2004
Final Score: Florida 7, LSU 0
Doubles
1. Alexis Gordon/Julie Rotondi (11), UF def. Rocio Fantilli/Lauren Seaman, LSU 8-5
2. Jennifer Magley/Zerene Reyes (22), UF def. Jessica Ferguson/Marina Chiarelli, LSU 8-1
3. Boglarka Berecz/Nina Suvak, UF def. Camila Caliari/Daysi Espinal, LSU 8-5*
Singles
1. Alexis Gordon (5), UF def. Jessica Ferguson (77), LSU 6-3, 6-2
2. Jennifer Magley (22), UF def. Rocio Fantilli, LSU 6-2, 6-1
3. Zerene Reyes (45), UF def. Marina Chiarelli, LSU 6-4, 6-3
4. Julie Rotondi (48), UF def. Camila Caliari, LSU 6-4, 6-1
5. Boglarka Berecz (71), UF def. Lauren Seaman, LSU 7-5, 6-0
6. Nina Suvak, UF def. Daysi Espinal, LSU 6-2, 6-0**
Order of Finish: Doubles - 2, 3, 1; Singles - 2, 1, 6, 4, 3, 5
*clinched doubles point; ** clinched dual match
END OF REPORT
