Florida Gators
Arkansas
No. 6 UF Women's Tennis Blanks Arkansas, 7-0
Saturday, March 25, 2006 | Women's Tennis
The sixth-ranked University of Florida women's tennis team remained hot despite unseasonably cool temperatures sweeping Arkansas, 7-0, Friday evening at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex.
With temperatures dipping into the mid- to low-50s, the Gators (11-1, 5-0 SEC) came out quickly with dominating doubles wins to take the doubles point and an early 1-0 lead. Florida clinched the dual match over the Lady Razorbacks (4-8, 0-5 SEC) just over an hour later when sophomore Lolita Frangulyan defeated Audrey Bordeleau, 6-0, 6-2 on court No. 6. Also earning singles victories on Friday were Alex Liles, Whitney Benik, Diana Srebrovic, Nina Suvak and Alexis Gordon.
"I thought we played really well," UF head coach Roland Thornqvist said. "They have a very good doubles lineup and we were able to control all of those matches. We crossed really well and were very aggressive in doubles. In singles, where we were more talented, we got off the court quickly. Alexis (Gordon) had a really good win tonight, beating Aurelija Miseviciute who last week defeated the defending NCAA singles champion. I think we look stronger in every match and hopefully we'll peak at the end of the year. Right now, I'm pleased with where we are."
Florida concludes its four-match home stand on Sunday, when the Gators play host to LSU (9-5, 0-4 SEC) beginning at 1 p.m. Admission is free.
Gator sophomore Alex Liles needed just 49 minutes to capture the first singles win of the night, downing Rachel Wilhelm 6-0, 6-1 at the No. 5 spot. Wilhelm held serve in the fourth game of the second set to prevent the double-bagel.
Whitney Benik then posted her 12th consecutive singles win with a 6-1, 6-3 decision over Karina Ledaja on court No. 3. The Gator sophomore never lost her serve during the 59-minute victory.
Once Frangulyan clinched the match, the remaining three courts featured tight contests, with several games reaching duce before the victor was decided. Diana Srebrovic emerged with a 6-4, 6-2 win against Vlatka Jovanovic on court No. 2, where she was down an early break in the second before breaking Jovanovic at love in the fourth game before steamrolling through the rest of the games.
Nina Suvak battled past Melissa Cornett 6-3, 6-1 at the No. 5 spot, which also featured several long games and points. Suvak captured the lone break in the first set, taking Cornett's serve in the fourth game and holding on to win the set. Suvak broke to open the second, where Cornett was able to hold on her next serve, but that was her lone win in the set, as the Gator junior held serve the entire match en route to the victory.
The featured match on court No. 1 lived up to its billing, as UF's 37th-ranked Alexis Gordon upset 23rd-ranked Aurelija Miseviciute 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5). Miseviciute broke Gordon in the second and eighth games to win the first set. The Gator lefty regrouped in the second, to hold a love to begin the set before Miseviciute took an early lead after breaking Gordon in the third game and held to take a 3-1 lead. Gordon broke back in the sixth game and held to take a 4-3 advantage. She serve a love game in the ninth before breaking Miseviciute to win the second set to forced a 10-point tiebreak to decide the match. The first three points were mini-break with Gordon holding on her next trip to the baseline to take a 4-1 lead. The two traded mini-breaks before Gordon took another on the 10th point and road that to the win and complete the Gator sweep.
Florida swept the three doubles matches in convincing fashion to take an early 1-0 lead in the team competition.
The Gators No. 3 tandem of Alex Liles and Nina Suvak provided the clinching point with their 8-1 victory over Audrey Bordeleau and Melissa Cornett in 39 minutes. It was the first pairing of the season for Liles and Suvak, also marking the Liles' first doubles competition of the season as she subbed in for freshman Keri Robison, who was recovering from an illness.
UF's No. 2 team of Lolita Frangulyan and Diana Srebrovic earned a dominating 8-1 win over Ela Kaluder and Aurelija Miseviciute in 38 minutes to give the Gators their first victory of the night. Frangulyan and Srebrovic improved to 14-1 overall and 11-1 in dual matches this season.
Whitney Benik and Alexis Gordon capped the sweep with an 8-4 decision over Maryori Franco and Karina Ledaja.
Women's College Tennis
Arkansas at No. 6 Florida
Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex
Gainesville, Fla.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Final Score: Florida 7, Arkansas 0
Doubles
No. 1 Whitney Benik/Alexis Gordon, UF def. Maryori Franco/Karina Ledaja, UA 8-4
No. 2 Lolita Frangulyan/Diana Srebrovic (47), UF def. Ela Kaluder/Aurelija Miseviciute, UA 8-1
No. 3 Alex Liles/Nina Suvak, UF def. Audrey Bordeleau/Melissa Cornett, UA 8-1*
Singles
No. 1 Alexis Gordon (37), UF def. Aurelija Miseviciute (23), UA 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5)
No. 2 Diana Srebrovic (4), UF def. Vlatka Jovanovic, UA 6-4, 6-2
No. 3 Whitney Benik (87), UF def. Karina Ledaja, UA 6-1, 6-2
No. 4 Nina Suvak, UF def. Melissa Cornett, UA 6-3, 6-1
No. 5 Alex Liles, UF ded. Rachel Wilhelm, UA 6-0, 6-1
No. 6 Lolita Frangulyan, UF def. Audrey Bordeleau, UA 6-0, 6-2*
Order of Finish: Doubles 2, 3, 1; Singles 5, 3, 6, 2, 4, 1
END OF REPORT
