Feb. 28, 2006
ORLANDO - Senior captain Pamela Fernandez earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles to lead host UCF past Eastern Michigan, 5-2, in women's tennis action on Tuesday at the UCF Tennis Complex.
The Golden Knights (5-4) grabbed a doubles point by sweeping the Eagles (3-2) in all three matches. Sophomore Kyla McNicol and junior Megan Hunter opened with an 8-5 win over the duo of sophomore Aditi Krishnan and junior Yana Parfenyuk at No. 2, while Fernandez and freshman Elvira Serrot capped off the sweep with an 8-6 win at the No. 1 position.
Serrot got the first point in singles competition by defeating Krishnan, 6-2, 6-2, followed by Hunter's 6-1, 6-1 victory over reigning junior and Mid-American Conference Player of the Week Catherina Bestehorn at No. 5. Fernandez grabbed the deciding point in the win over EMU's junior Elizabeth Syrova.
After losing matches at No. 4 and No. 3, McNicol battled to a 7-6 (7-5), 3-6 (10-7) decision over junior Laura Fernandez.
"We anticipated that Eastern Michigan was going to come down here with a very good grinding type team," said UCF head coach Patricia Allison. "We set the tone with the sweep in doubles then played well at the top and bottom of the lineup. I am just happy to come away with the win."
The Golden Knights, who postponed their match against Savannah State on March 6, return to action at Richmond on March 12 at 1 p.m.
Singles
1. Pam Fernandez (UCF) def. Elizabeth Syrova (EMU), 6-1, 6-2
2. Elvira Serrot (UCF) def. Aditi Krishnan (EMU), 6-2, 6-2
3. Vanessa Frankowski (EMU) def. Kenza Belbacha (UCF), 0-6, 6-3, 6-3
4. Yana Parfenyuk (EMU) def. Jenny Carati (UCF), 6-3, 6-0
5. Megan Hunter (UCF) def. Catherina Bestehorn (EMU), 6-1, 6-1
6. Kyla McNicol (UCF) def. Laura Fernandez (EMU), 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 10-7
Doubles
1. Fernandez/Serrot (UCF) def. Frankowski/Parfenyuk (EMU), 8-6
2. McNicol/ Hunter (UCF) def. Krishnan/Syrova (EMU), 8-5
3. Belbacha/Anna Yakimchenkova (UCF) def. Bestehorn/Flavia Micati (EMU), 8-6