LAKE NONA, Fla. – Freshman
Layne Sleeth's collegiate debut resulted in two singles wins and doubles victory, highlighting the University of Florida women's tennis team's first day of competition at the USTA Fall Ranked Spotlight Friday at the USTA National Campus.
The Canadian standout, Sleeth, knocked off a pair of ranked opponents on the singles circuit and teamed up with sophomore
Marlee Zein for a doubles victory.
No. 91
Victoria Emma also added a victory on the day, prevailing 6-4, 6-3 over Ohio State's Irina Cantos.
Competing in a stacked field made up of 20 ranked singles players and seven ranked doubles teams from nine programs that all finished in the top 25 of the final USTA/Tennis Channel poll a season ago, Florida tallied three singles wins and a doubles victory.
The Gators began the day on the doubles courts, splitting their two matchups. In a top 30 showdown, the veteran tandem of No. 6 Emma and
McCartney Kessler, suffered a narrow setback against No. 27 Catherine Gulihur and Alana Wolfberg of Oklahoma State, 7-6 (3). Playing together for the first time, youngsters Sleeth and Zein earned a 6-4 win over Adriana Reami and Jaeda Daniel. The freshman Sleeth and sophomore Zein bested the senior Reami and the junior Daniel of NC State in what was Sleeth's first taste of collegiate tennis.
Florida then continued onto singles play, posting a 1-3 mark in the opening round. All three of UF's ranked competitors, No. 23 Kessler, No. 85 Zein, and No. 91 Emma, fell in their matches, but Sleeth broke through for a win nabbing a 6-3, 6-0 victory over 77
th ranked and reigning ITA Atlantic Region Rookie of the Year, Amber O'Dell.
In the afternoon matches, UF posted a 2-2 mark. Sleeth, ranked No. 6 in the ITA's Preseason Freshmen/Newcomers list, secured her second singles win of the day when she bested No. 61 Kolie Allen of Ohio State, 6-2, 6-2. After falling in straight sets in her opening match of the day, Emma responded with a victory in her second singles bout.
All four Gators will remain active in the event with Sleeth the lone Florida representative in the main draw.
Action in Lake Nona continues Saturday in what will be a full day of singles competition. At 9 a.m. ET, the third round of singles play kicks things off.
Quotes from the Court – Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
Overall thoughts on the day…
"With an up and down day in performance, I was pleased in how we competed and our body language. It's been a focal point of ours in training this fall and although we weren't rewarded with wins today, our body language will make a difference at some point in the year. This is as good of a tournament you can find in the fall so every time out here will test your skill and will."
Thoughts on the freshman Sleeth's performance…
"Layne was especially clinical in her play. Hopefully saving her legs today will give her an edge the rest of the way when the competition stiffens."
USTA Fall Ranked Spotlight
Friday, Sept. 27 - Sunday Sept. 29
USTA National Campus
Lake Nona, Fla.
Updated Singles Main Draw (East-West)
Updated Singles Main Draw (South)
Updated Singles Main Draw (North)
Live Stream Link
Live stats will not be available but make sure to follow @GatorsWTN on Twitter for score updates
Singles Scoring - Standard Best-of-3 Sets, No-AD
Doubles Scoring - One Standard Set, No-AD
Results
Friday, Sept. 27
(all times listed in ET)
Doubles Main Draw Round 1
No. 27 Catherine Gulihur and Alana Wolfberg (Oklahoma St.) def. No. 6
McCartney Kessler and
Victoria Emma, 7-6 (3)
Layne Sleeth and
Marlee Zein def. Jaeda Daniel and Adriana Reami (NC State), 6-4
Singles Main Draw Round 1
Nandini Sharma (UCF) def. No. 91
Victoria Emma, 6-1, 6-3
Sofia Munera (UVA) def. No. 85
Marlee Zein, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (3)
Selma Cadar (Miami) def. No. 23
McCartney Kessler, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2
Layne Sleeth def. No. 77 Amber O'Dell (UVA), 6-3, 6-0
Singles Main Draw Round 2
No. 91
Victoria Emma def. Irina Cantos (Ohio State), 6-4, 6-3
No. 36 Isabelle Boulais (Ohio State) def. No. 85 Marlee Zein, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
No. 84 Adriana Reami (NC State) def. No. 23 McCartney Kessler, 7-5, 1-6, 6-3
Layne Sleeth def. No. 61 Kolie Allen (Ohio State), 6-2, 6-2
Saturday, Sept. 28
Singles Main Draw Round 3 (East-West)
9 a.m. –
Layne Sleeth vs. No. 8 Anna Rodgers (NC State)
Singles Back Draw Round 3 (East-West)
9 a.m. – No. 91
Victoria Emma vs. Johanna Silva (UT)
Singles Back Draw Round 3 (South)
10 a.m. - No. 23
McCartney Kessler vs. Catherine Gulihur (Oklahoma St.)
10 a.m. -
No. 85 Marlee Zein vs. Alana Wolfberg (Oklahoma St.)
Singles Main Draw Round 3 (North)
10 a.m.
Singles Main Draw Round 4 (East-West)
Not before 1:30 p.m.
Singles Main Draw Round 4 (South)
Not before 2:30 p.m.
Singles Main Draw Round 4 (North)
Not before 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 29
(all times listed in ET)
9 a.m. – Doubles – Second Match
Not Before 10 a.m. – Singles – Round 5
Not Before 11 a.m. – Singles – Round 5 (Additional Backdraw Matches if Necessary)
Gators Competing
Junior
Victoria Emma
Junior
McCartney Kessler
Freshman
Layne Sleeth
Sophomore
Marlee Zein
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