Sept. 22, 2006
WINTER PARK, Fla. - The UCF women's tennis program's first full team tournament got underway Friday in the C.L. Varner Memorial Invitational hosted by Rollins College. With the top seed in both singles and doubles, the Golden Knights used impressive performances across their lineup while posting a 10-3 record in singles play.
In the Flight A singles main draw, junior Anna Yakimchenkova (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./American School) won her lone singles match, defeating Alexa Korotkevich of Nova Southeastern, 6-4, 6-2. Yakimchenkova, the tournament's sixth seed, will play her quarterfinal match against Senka Softic of Florida Southern on Saturday. Softic had to play two matches before reaching the quarters, thus their quarterfinal meeting will not be held until tomorrow.
Top seed Elvira Serrot (So., Madrid, Spain) picked up a win over Stetson's Maja Miladinovic, 6-4, 6-4, but was upset in the quarters by Florida Southern's Lidia Gandarias, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. Senior Megan Hunter (Poquoson, Va.) also claimed an opening-round win, dominating the final two sets vs. Laime Contreras of Barry University, 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2. Hunter then dropped a 6-2, 6-1 decision to Hiroko Nishikawa of Hillsborough C.C.
Sophomore Kenza Belbacha (Casablanca, Morocco), who fell in her first match to Silje Aarum of Florida Southern, 6-2, 6-1, stuck around in the backdraw by blanking Margarito Rico-Jimenez of Embry-Riddle, 6-0, 6-0.
In Flight B singles, senior Becky Gordon (Tampa Fla./Chamberlain), junior Jennifer Carati (Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela) and freshman Zoe Kent (Valrico, Fla.) each won two-straight matches to reach the quarterfinals. In the first round, the trio gave up just seven combined games to their opponents. If Gordon and Carati win their next outings, they would face-off in the semifinals.
On the doubles side of the tournament, No. 1 seed Serrot and Yakimchenkova breezed by Rico Jimenez and Lindsey Kurtz, 8-0. They now enter the semifinals which will be contested Saturday.
The C.L. Varner Memorial Invitational concludes Saturday and Sunday.
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UCF ResultsSingles Flight A Main Draw - Second Round (After receiving byes)Elvira Serrot (UCF) def. Maja Miladinovic (Stetson) 6-4, 6-4Megan Hunter (UCF) def. Laime Contreras (Barry) 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2Anna Yakimchenkova (UCF) def. Alexa Korotkevich (NSU) 6-4, 6-2Silje Aarum (FSC) def. Kenza Belbacha (UCF) 6-2, 6-1
Singles Flight A Main Draw - QuarterfinalsLidia Gandarias (FSC) def. Elvira Serrot (UCF) 2-6, 6-4, 7-5Hiroko Nishikawa (HCC) def. Megan Hunter (UCF) 6-2, 6-1
Singles Flight B Main Draw - First RoundZoe Kent (UCF) def. Saskia Kruse (Barry) 6-2, 6-2Becky Gordon (UCF) def. Kerinn Meisenbach (E-R) 6-1, 6-1Jennifer Carati (UCF) def. Mary Crider (NSU) 6-0, 6-1
Singles Flight B Main Draw - Second RoundZoe Kent (UCF) def. Silvia Frandji (Rollins) 6-1, 6-2Becky Gordon (UCF) def. Robin Rogers (UNF) 6-4, 6-0Jennifer Carati (UCF) def. Sonia Bernal (Rollins) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4)
Singles Flight A Backdraw - Second RoundKenza Belbacha (UCF) def. Margarita Rico Jimenez (E-R) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles Flight A Main Draw - Second Round (After receiving byes)Serrot/Yakimchenkova (UCF) def. Kurtz/Rico Jimenez (E-R) 8-0Norkute/Shelton (Lynn) def. Golrdon/Belbacha (UCF) 8-4
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