Florida Gators
Georgia
Women's Tennis Takes Control of SEC Race; def. Georgia 6-1
Saturday, March 27, 2004 | Women's Tennis
The second-ranked University of Florida women's tennis team took control of the Southeastern Conference race with today's 6-1 victory over fourth-ranked Georgia Friday evening at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex.
The Gators extended their winning streak to 31 consecutive matches while halting the Bulldog's 10-match win streak. UF improves to 14-0 overall this season and 7-0 in the SEC. Georgia falls to 14-2 overall and 6-1 in league play.
"Winning the doubles point was a boost for us and demoralizing for them," UF head coach Roland Thornqvist said. "We talk a lot about being tough, not necessarily always relying on talent. Georgia is one of those teams that could hit with us and match us stroke for stroke. I think we out-toughed them today and should take great pride in that."
UF's Alexis Gordon clinched the match at the No. 1 position where she downed fifth-ranked Agata Cioroch 6-3, 7-5. Gordon, who is ranked second nationally, took advantage of the lone break in the first set, breaking Cioroch in the sixth game en route to serving out at love for the opening set. In the second set, Gordon took an early lead with a break in the third and held for a 3-1 lead. Cioroch broke back in the sixth to get the set back on serve, where it stayed until Gordon earned a crucial break in the ninth game and then served out for the clinching match.
"I didn't really think about the rankings, I just thought about who I was playing," Gordon said. "It's just about forehands and backhands. I just thought about what I need to do to finish the match."
After winning the all-important doubles point, Zerene Reyes, who is ranked 87th in the country, gave the Gators a 2-0 lead after her 6-3, 6-1 upset victory over 12th-ranked Shadisha Robinson at the No. 3 spot. The match began with seven straight service breaks before Reyes was able to hold and then break Robinson again in the ninth game to take the first set. Reyes held to open the second and then broke Robinson en route to a 3-0 lead. Reyes struck again in the sixth game, hitting a forehand passing shot down the line to take a 5-1 lead with the serve, where she closed out the win.
Georgia notched its lone point after winning on the No. 4 court, where Jitka Schonfeldova handed UF's Boglarka Berecz a 6-4, 6-3 setback, snapping her 13-match win streak.
But the Gators continue their momentum as freshman Nina Suvak took down Douglas Wink 6-0, 6-4 at the No. 6 position to give UF a 3-1 lead. Suvak raced through the first 11 games of the match and was serving for the double-bagel before Wink finally got on the board, breaking the Gator rookie on her next two serves. However, Suvak settled down and broke Wink in the ninth game to seal her 14th consecutive victory.
With the Gators already having secured the dual match, the decision was made to play a 10-point, super tiebreaker in the third set on courts No. 2 and 5. UF's Jennifer Magley out-dueled Evgenia Subbotina 3-6, 6-4, 10-5 at the No. 2 position and Lindsay Dawaf downed Natalie Frazier 7-6 (4), 3-6, 10-2 at the No. 5 spot to remain a perfect 13-0 this season.
In doubles action, UF swept all three positions in extremely tightly contested matches. UF's No. 2 duo of Jennifer Magley and Zerene Reyes won for the 14th straight time, posting a 8-3 decision over Jitka Schonfeldova and Evgenia Subbotina. The Gator pair took the lone break in the fourth game and rode it into the 10th game, where Reyes' forehand volley landed for a winner on UF's third break point attempt and gave the Gators a commanding 7-3 lead. Reyes then served out for the match, taking the first victory of the dual match after Subbotina's forehand went into the net on match point.
UF clinched the doubles point on the No. 3 court, where Berecz and Suvak topped Natalie Frazier and Wink. The Gators opened with a quick 5-0 lead before Georgia got on the board with a break in the sixth game. The next three games were service holds before the Bulldogs capitalized on their second break point to take the 10th game before holding, as UF's lead shrunk to 7-3. But Suvak held in the next game to polish off the match and the doubles point.
The featured match on court No. 1 showcased Georgia's fifth-ranked pair of Agata Cioroch and Shadisha Robinson against UF's eighth-ranked Alexis Gordon and Julie Rotondi. Gordon opened the match holding serve at love, but Georgia held and took Rotondi's serve to post an early break lead. However, Rotondi's volley approach the hit at the feet of Cioroch was on break point in the next game and the Gators were back on serve after Gordon held. Cioroch struggle with her serve in the next game and double-faulted on break point to give the Gators a 4-2 lead. Rotondi then held at love and UF carried that momentum into the 10th game, landing another break after Cioroch's backhand approached sailed caught the net. Georgia did break in the next game, but Gordon would go on to serve out for the match and the doubles sweep.
UF entertains No. 26 Tennessee on Sunday, March 30 in the team's regular season home finale. The match is slated to begin at 1 p.m. and admission is free.
College Women's Tennis
Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex
Gainesville, Fla.
Friday, March 26, 2004
Final Score: Florida 6, Georgia 1
Doubles
No. 1 Alexis Gordon/Julie Rotondi (8), UF def. Agata Cioroch/Shadisha Robinson (5), UG 8-5
No. 2 Jennifer Magley/Zerene Reyes (21), UF def. Jitka Schonfeldova/Evgenia Subbotina (43), UG 8-3
No. 3 Boglarka Berecz/Nina Suvak, UF def. Natalie Frazier/Douglas Wink, UG 8-4
Singles
No. 1 Alexis Gordon (2), UF def. Agata Cioroch (5), UG 6-3, 7-5*
No. 2 Jennifer Magley (31), UF def. Evgenia Subbotina (54), UG 3-6, 6-4, 10-5
No. 3 Zerene Reyes (87), UF def. Shadisha Robinson (12), UG 6-3, 6-1
No. 4 Jitka Schonfeldova, UG def. Boglarka Berecz, UF 6-4, 6-3
No. 5 Lindsay Dawaf (t-100), UF def. Natalie Frazier, UG 7-6 (4), 3-6, 10-2
No. 6 Nina Suvak, UF def. Douglas Wink, UG 6-0, 6-3
Order of Finish: Doubles-2, 3, 1; Singles-3, 4, 6, 1, 2, 5
END OF REPORT
