Florida Gators
North Carolina
No. 15 Women's Tennis Defeats No. 9 North Carolina, 6-1
Sunday, March 20, 2005 | Women's Tennis
The 15th-ranked University of Florida women's tennis team snapped a two-match losing streak by defeating No. 9 North Carolina, 6-1, Sunday afternoon at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex.
The victory, which was the Gator's first this season over a top-10 ranked foe, improved UF's overall record to 7-2, while the Tar Heels dropped to 12-6.
"We were not as sharp today as we would have liked, but the difference between today's match and our previous two matches (losses to No. 5 Vanderbilt and No. 6 Kentucky) was that we found a way to win," UF head coach Roland Thornqvist said. "That's what I'm most proud of in today's victory. Even though we were even on several matches, we found a way to get it done. I think we'll be a much better team in the future because of today's match."
Florida continues its four-match home stand on Wednesday, March 23, when the team plays host to No. 7 Duke beginning at 5 p.m.
Senior Zerene Reyes was the first Gator off the singles court, posting an impressive 6-2, 6-0 victory over 20th-ranked Kendall Cline at the No. 2 position. Leading 3-2 on serve in the first set, the 12th-ranked Reyes won the final nine games of the match to spot Florida a 2-0 lead in the team scoring.
Freshman Alex Liles then rallied from down two breaks early in the second set to polish off Caitlin Collins 6-2, 6-3 on court No. 4. The Gator rookie raced out to a 4-0 lead in the opening set and carried that momentum to the take the first set. However, Liles fell behind 3-0 in the second before staging her comeback to win the final six games and earn a straight set victory.
Sophomore Nina Suvak provided the clinching dual match point with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Charlotte Tansill on court No. 5. Suvak won the first four games of the match en route to claiming the first set, before earning breaks in the second, sixth and eight games of the final set to capture the victory.
UNC earned its lone point on court No. 3, where Jenna Long topped UF freshman Whitney Benik, 6-4, 6-2.
Gator junior Jennifer Magley then polished off Aniela Mojzis 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6) on the showcase court, breaking Mojzis in the 10th game of the second set to force a super-tiebreaker. Freshman Lolita Frangulyan capped the dual match with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 win against Tanja Markovic on court No. 6.
In doubles action, the Gators captured victories on courts 2 and 3 to take the initial point in the team competition. Florida's No. 3 tandem of Alex Liles and Nina Suvak rallied from a 4-1 deficit to get the match back on serve in the ninth game, winning the final seven games of the match to down Caitlin Collins and Alex Jurewitz 8-5. The 10th-ranked pair of Jennifer Magley and Zerene Reyes then topped UNC's 26th-ranked team of Sara Anundsen and Jenna Long 8-3 to give the Gators the doubles point.
College Women's Tennis
No. 9 North Carolina at No. 15 Florida
Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex * Gainesville, Fla.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Final Score: Florida 6, North Carolina 1
Doubles
No. 1 Aniela Mojzis/Kendall Cline (11), UNC def. Whitney Benik/Lolita Frangulyan (5), UF 8-1
No. 2 Jennifer Magley/Zerene Reyes (10), UF def. Sara Anundsen/Jenna Long (26), UNC 8-3*
No. 3 Alex Liles/Nina Suvak, UF def. Caitlin Collins/Alex Jurewitz, UNC 8-5
Singles
No. 1 Jennifer Magley (10), UF def. Aniela Mojzis (32), UNC 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6)
No. 2 Zerene Reyes (12), UF def. Kendall Cline (20), UNC 6-2, 6-0
No. 3 Jenna Long (88), UNC def. Whitney Benik, UF 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 Alex Liles, UF def. Caitlin Collins, UNC 6-2, 6-3
No. 5 Nina Suvak, UF def. Charlotte Tansill, UNC 6-3, 6-3*
No. 6 Lolita Frangulyan, UF def. Tanja Markovic, UNC 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
Order of Finish: Doubles-1, 3, 2; Singles-2, 4, 5, 3, 1, 6
*clinched doubles point/dual match
END OF REPORT
