Florida Gators
Gator Fall Classic -Day 3 of 3
Women's Tennis Completes Play at Gator Fall Classic on Positive Note
Sunday, September 25, 2005 | Women's Tennis
The University of Florida women's tennis team wrapped up a successful showing Sunday at the season-opening Gator Fall Classic, winning four of five singles matches against Northwestern and sweeping both doubles matches versus FIU.
The Gators completed the three-day event with a combined 14-1 record in singles and a 5-1 mark in doubles play.
"I was extremely pleased with our competitiveness this weekend," UF head coach Roland Thornqvist said. "We found some areas where we definitely want to improve, namely serving, but I liked how we competed. There were a couple matches today that could have gone either way, but we never gave up and found a way to win."
The only singles match that didn't fall in favor of the Gators during the entire weekend was Sunday's featured match between UF senior Boglarka Berecz, ranked No. 53, and Northwestern's Cristelle Greir, ranked No. 11. Berecz stayed with the highly-ranked Wildcat through the first set, which was on serve the entire way and needed a tiebreaker to decide. Greir won that tight battle to claim the opening frame and then took control en route to the 7-6 (5), 6-1 decision.
"(Greir) played a really good match," Berecz said. "She was down a set point in the first set, but came back and played even better from that moment on. There were some points that I played too short. I know I have to work on my depth. Overall, I'm satisfied with how I competed and I feel like I played better every day."
Sophomore Whitney Benik struggled throughout her match against Jamie Peisel, but dug deep and won the big points to capture the hard-fought 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory. Benik broke Peisel in the 10th game to take the second set and force a third, where she immediately dropped to serve and quickly fell behind 2-0. Benik earned a break in the fourth game and held to get the match back on serve, but Peisel broke at love seventh game to take control. However, Benik broke right back at love and held to take a 5-4 lead. She then broke Peisel again at love to win the lengthy match.
"I really thought I was going to lose that match with the way I was playing, but somehow I found I way to win," Benik said. "I had some racquet issues and had it re-strung in the middle of the match. That helped a little, but I'm sure if I was playing better the racquet wouldn't have bothered me."
UF sophomore Lolita Frangulyan also needed three sets to capture her third victory of the weekend, as she downed Alexis Conill 6-0, 1-6, 6-1.
"It was an unbelievable match, you can judge that by the score," Frangulyan said. "I was playing very, very good in the first set, then I lost it mentally in the second set. That's something I working on and have to get better at. I think I lost the second set in five minutes. But (UF Associate Head Coach) Dave (Balogh) came over and told me to calm down and concentrate. I realized that I was rushing my shots. Then everything starting falling apart for (Conill) and I won the third set easily."
Junior Nina Suvak was the only Gator who took control and maintained it throughout her singles match Sunday, defeating Nazlie Ghazal 6-2, 6-4 to complete the weekend with a 3-0 singles mark.
"I played even better than I did yesterday, so I think this was a successful tournament for me because I improved each day," Suvak said. "I'm happy with how I played this weekend."
Leading 6-2, 5-1, Diana Srebrovic lost the next six games, as Northwestern's Alexis Prousis forced a deciding third set, where the Gator sophomore re-grouped and polished off her third singles victory in as many days, 6-2, 5-7, 6-1.
"(Prousis) changed her strategy and started playing differently," Srebrovic said of the second set. "I didn't adapt well and let it get to my head. But I got my head back together in the third and it became easier. Overall, I'm pretty pleased with how I played this weekend. I've improved since the first day I got here. Hopefully, I'll continue improving. I'm really looking forward to the next couple of months."
Florida next returns to the courts on October 4, traveling to Pacific Palisades, Calif., for the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships, one of the three Grand Slams played on the collegiate circuit.
2005 Gator Fall Classic
Ring Tennis Complex
Gainesville, Fla.
Complete Singles & Doubles Results for Sunday, September 25, 2005
Doubles
Cristelle Greir/ Nazlie Ghazal, NW def. Ana Rupic/Patricia Starzyk, Miami 8-4
Alexis Conill/Alexis Prousis, NW def. Monika Dancevic/ Emily Mowery, Miami 8-1
Whitney Benik/Diana Srebrovic, Florida def. Egle Petrauskaite/Paula Zabala, FIU 8-3
Lolita Frangulyan/Nina Suvak, Florida def. Nikkita Fountain/Desanka Jovanovic, FIU 8-4
Singles
Cristelle Greir (11), NW def. Boglarka Berecz (53), Florida 7-6 (5), 6-1
Diana Srebrovic (34), Florida def. Alexis Prousis (50), NW 6-2, 5-7, 6-1
Whitney Benik (93), Florida def. Jamie Peisel, NW 1-6, 6-4, 6-4
Nina Suvak (56), Florida def. Nazlie Ghazal, NW 6-2, 6-4
Lolita Frangulyan, Florida def. Alexis Conill, NW 6-0, 1-6, 6-1
Audrey Banada, Miami def. Paula Zabala (42), FIU 6-2, 6-0
Patricia Starzyk (106), Miami def. Egle Petrauskaite, FIU 6-1, 6-0
Desanka Jovanovic, FIU def. Emily Mowery (85), Miami 6-0, 6-0
Ana Rupic, Miami def. Courtney Jonson, FIU 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
Monika Dancevic, Miami def. Bruna Discordia, FIU 5-7, 6-1, 6-4
Nikkita Fountain, FIU def. Caren Seenauth, Miami 6-3, 6-2
END OF REPORT
