Florida Gators
#3 UCLA (Team Indoor Championships)
Women's Tennis Falls to No. 3 UCLA, 4-3, in ITA National Indoors Round of 16
Saturday, February 14, 2009 | Women's Tennis
The 10th-ranked University of Florida women's tennis team came up short to third-ranked UCLA, 4-3, in the round of 16 at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, held Friday at Neilson Tennis Stadium.
The four-day event hosted by the University of Wisconsin in Madison continues Saturday, when the Gators face No. 9 Southern California beginning at 10 a.m. ET (9 a.m. CT).
The defending NCAA champion Bruins earned the first two points of the dual match, before the Gators roared back with singles wins from Jessica Alexander, Joanna Mather and Marrit Boonstra to take a 3-2 lead.
Florida, however, was unable to win one of the final two singles matches still on-court and lost its second consecutive 4-3 decision.
Friday's competition was a rematch of last year's NCAA semifinal match that UCLA claimed 4-2 en route to winning its first-ever national championship. The Gators were the only team that managed to earn a point against the Bruins during their title run.
With only 12 indoor courts available and four dual matches in progress simultaneously, only three courts were used per team competition. The morning matches didn't conclude until nearly 5 p.m. ET, as the afternoon session started almost two hours behind schedule.
The Gators (4-2) dropped the hard-fought doubles points, as Florida's Jessica Alexander and Anastasia Revzina defeated Ashley Joelson and Carling Seguso, 9-7, at the No. 2 spot. The Bruins then captured the No. 1 and 3 positions, capped with the thrilling 9-7 decision at the top position.
UCLA then took a 2-0 lead in the team scoring when Maya Johansson downed Megan Alexander, 6-1, 6-3 on court No. 3.
Jessica Alexander earned Florida's first team point of the dual match after posting a 6-1, 7-6 victory over Carling Seguso at the No. 5 spot.
Gator junior Marrit Boonstra followed with a hard-fought 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 win against Andrea Remynse at No. 1.
Joanna Mather then gave Florida its first lead of the dual match after she posted a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Ashley Joelson at the No. 4 position, putting the Gators ahead, 3-2.
Florida was unable to close out the win, as freshman Barbara Pinterova lost her match on court No. 6, 6-2, 6-4, and junior Anastasia Revzina dropped the clincher to Yasmin Schnack, 1-6, 7-5, 6-2.
The Gators are making their first trip to the National Team Indoor Championships since the 2002-03 season, when they finished runner-up to Duke, falling 4-3 in the title match. Florida went on to win the NCAA Championship later that year, the fourth NCAA title in program history and the first under current head coach Roland Thornqvist. Florida has captured a total of six ITA National Team Indoor Championships, with the last one coming in the 1998-99 season.
The prestigious national event began in 1988, when the Gators defeat Stanford, 5-4, in the inaugural championship final. Florida has won a total of six National Team Indoor titles, the second most behind Stanford's nine crowns.
This is the first time the event has expanded to 64 teams, with the winner of each second-rebound regional advancing to Madison, Wis., for the remainder of the tournament. Florida defeated Oklahoma State and Western Michigan to reach the round of 16.
ITA National Team Indoor Championships, Round of 16
Neilson Tennis Stadium, Madison, Wis.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Final Score: UCLA 4, Florida 3
Doubles
1. Andrea Remynse/Yasmin Schnack, UCLA d. Megan Alexander/Marrit Boonstra (18), UF 9-7
2. Jessica Alexander/Anastasia Revzina, UF d. Ashley Joelson/Carling Seguso, UCLA, 9-7
3. Stephanie Wetmore/Jordan Dockendorf, UCLA d. Joanna Mather/Barbara Pinterova, UF 8-6
Singles
1. Marrit Boonstra (34), UF d. Andrea Remynse (31), UCLA 5-7, 6-3, 6-0
2. Yasmin Schnack (106), UCLA d. Anastasia Revzina (99), UF 1-6, 7-5, 6-2*
3. Maya Johansson (63), UCLA d. Megan Alexander (78), UF 6-1, 6-3
4. Joanna Mather, UF d. Ashley Joelson, UCLA, 6-3, 6-4
5. Jessica Alexander, UF d. Carling Seguso, UCLA 6-1, 7-6
6. Ana Victoria Lind, UCLA d. Barbara Pinterova, UF 6-2, 6-4
Order of Finish: 3, 5, 1, 4, 6, 2
-UF-
