Florida Gators
NCAA Doubles (Rnd of 32)
Women?s Tennis Pair Wins NCAA Doubles First Round
Thursday, May 25, 2006 | Women's Tennis
The University of Florida's Whitney Benik and Alexis Gordon upset Harvard's third-ranked Melissa Anderson and Elsa O'Riain 6-4, 6-0 in the first round of the NCAA Women's Doubles Championships Thursday afternoon at Taube Tennis Center.
The victory marked the Gator tandem's highest-ranked opponent the pair has defeated this season. Benik and Gordon, who improved to 16-7, posted an 8-5 win over South Florida's ninth-ranked team of Gabriela Duch and Neyessa Etienne on May 13 for their only other win over a top-10 ranked foe.
“They played great doubles today,” said UF associate head coach Dave Balogh, who oversaw the coaching for the match. “We talked about being aggressive from the beginning and they stayed true to that game plan. There have been times this season when they haven't played as aggressive and they had to play catch-up. We called a lot of good plays and never served to the same spot. Whitney and Alexis did a great job with their serves and mixing it up and I think it was one of the reasons we ran away with the match at the end.”
The entire first set was on-serve until the 10th game, where Benik ripped a backhand winner down the line off O'Riain's serve to capitalize on the Gator's first set point. They carried that momentum into the second set, where Benik held, capped by an ace, to take a 1-0 lead. UF then jumped on O'Riain's serve again, building double-break point and cashing in on the early break. The Harvard pair had one break point on Gordon's serve in the next game, but UF fought back and held to take a 3-0 lead, never looking back en route to the straight set win.
“It was a little tough serving at the beginning because of the wind, but I took some speed off and kicked it in a little more and it worked,” Gordon said. “This was one of the better matches Whitney and I have played this season.”
On Friday afternoon, Benik and Gordon face the winner of the first round match between UCLA's Laura Gordon and Riza Zalameda and Marshall's Lynzee Kever and Kellie Schmitt. The 12th-ranked Bruin pair defeated Benik and Gordon, 8-6, in the Round of 16 during the NCAA Team Championships on May 18. Florida has not faced Marshall's tandem this season.
NCAA Tennis Singles & Doubles Championships
Taube Tennis Center
Stanford, Calif.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
UF Results Only
Doubles First Round (Round of 32)
Whitney Benik/Alexis Gordon, UF def. Melissa Anderson/Elsa O'Riain (5-8), Harvard 6-4, 6-0
Remaining NCAA Singles & Doubles Championships Schedule
(Times are PACIFIC)
Friday, May 26
11 a.m. - Men's & Women's Round of 16 Singles & Doubles
Saturday, May 27
12 p.m. - Men's & Women's Singles & Doubles Quarterfinals
Sunday, May 28
12 p.m. - Men's & Women's Singles & Doubles Semifinals
Monday, May 29
12 p.m. - Men's & Women's Singles Finals
2 p.m. - Men's & Women's Doubles Finals
END OF REPORT
