March 13, 2006
*Note: Result was overturned after line-up was protested by Old Dominion.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Poquoson, Virginia-native Megan Hunter battled to a three-set victory at No. 6 singles to give the UCF women's tennis team a 4-3 win over host Old Dominion on Monday afternoon.
The Golden Knights (6-5) opened up with a loss at No. 2 doubles before the duo junior Becky Gordon and sophomore Jennifer Carati evened the score with a 9-7 win at No. 3. UCF clinched the point when senior captain Pamela Fernandez and freshman Elvira Serrot edged ODU's Larissa Santos and Kerstin Endlich, 7-4, in a tiebreaker for a 9-8 win.
In singles competition, Fernandez took a quick 6-2, 6-2 victory over Endlich at the top spot and sophomore Anna Yakimchenkova fought Old Dominion's Fernanda Luiz, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 for the first two UCF wins.
Returning to the same courts that she honed her skills on as a member of the Poquoson High School team, Hunter earned the deciding point over Barbara Kerner at the No. 6 position. She lost the first set, 3-6, before rebounding to take the final two sets 6-2, 7-5.
The Monarchs (9-4) won singles matches at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5.
"The players really came together to make this a great team effort," said UCF head coach Patricia Allison. "We're now ready to face Buffalo on our homecourts."
The Golden Knights return home to host Buffalo at the UCF Tennis Complex on Friday at 11 a.m.
Singles
1. Pamela Fernandez (UCF) def. Kerstin Endlich (ODU), 6-2, 6-2
2. Charleen Haarhoff (ODU) def. Elvira Serrot (UCF), 6-2, 6-3
3. Barbara Costa (ODU) def. Kenza Belbacha (UCF), 6-2, 6-3
4. Anna Yakimchenkova (UCF) def. Fernanda Luiz (ODU), 7-6 (8-6), 6-4
5. Larissa Santos (ODU) def. Kyla McNicol (UCF), 6-4, 6-3
6. Megan Hunter (UCF) def. Barbara Kerner (ODU), 3-6, 6-2, 7-5
Doubles
1. Fernandez/Serrot (UCF) def. Endlich/Santos (ODU), 9-8 (7-4)
2. Luiz/Haarhoff (ODU) def. McNicol/ Hunter (UCF), 8-3
3. Becky Gordon/Jennifer Carati (UCF) def. Kerner/Costa (ODU), 9-7