Feb. 17, 2008
MIAMI, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF women's tennis team concluded a four-match road trip, its longest of the season, with a 6-1 loss at No. 33 Florida International Sunday. The Knights' record dropped to 2-4 as all four of their losses have come at the hands of teams ranked in the top 35.
For the Golden Panthers (2-2), the match vs. UCF served as their home opener for the 2008 season, and they kicked off the day by taking the doubles point. FIU's Pricilla Castillo and Egle Petrauskaite grabbed the first win at No. 1 by defeating senior Kyla McNicol and freshman Jenny Frisell, 8-4. However, UCF stayed alive by claiming the match at No. 3 when senior Anna Yakimchenkova and junior Kenza Belbacha got past Marijana Cutuk and Maria Spenceley, 8-5.
With doubles knotted at 1-1, Liset Brito and Maria Dolores Pazo secured the overall 1-0 lead for the Golden Panthers by edging senior Jennifer Carati and junior Elvira Serrot at No. 2, 8-5.
FIU took its momentum into singles where it racked up the first four victories to seal the team win. Petrauskaite notched the first triumph with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Frisell at No. 2, Castillo later collected a 6-3, 6-2 victory against Belbacha at No. 4, Spenceley earned a 6-4, 6-2 showing vs. Carati at No. 6 and Cutuk squeaked past Yakimchenkova at No. 5, 6-3, 6-4.
The Knights battled Florida International to three sets at Nos. 1 and 3 to close out the day. After taking the first set at No. 3, McNicol witnessed Pazo climb back to force a third-set super-breaker, where the UCF senior finished it off with a 6-4, 2-6, 1-0(10-5) win. The closest match of the day came at No. 1, as Serrot fought back from a set down to reach the super-breaker, only to see Brito barely hold on for a 6-1, 4-6, 1-0(11-9) victory.
UCF makes its way back to Orlando for a Wednesday showdown with North Florida at 2 p.m. at the UCF Tennis Complex.
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#33 Florida International 6, UCF 1Doubles competition1. Priscilla Castillo/Egle Petrauskaite (FIU) def. Jenny Frisell/Kyla McNicol (UCF) 8-42. Liset Brito/Maria Dolores Pazo (FIU) def. Jennifer Carati/Elvira Serrot (UCF) 8-53. Anna Yakimchenkova/Kenza Belbacha (UCF) def. Marijana Cutuk/Maria Spenceley (FIU) 8-5
Singles competition1. Liset Brito (FIU) def. Elvira Serrot (UCF) 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (11-9)2. Egle Petrauskaite (FIU) def. Jenny Frisell (UCF) 6-3, 6-33. Kyla McNicol (UCF) def. Maria Dolores Pazo (FIU) 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5)4. Priscilla Castillo (FIU) def. Kenza Belbacha (UCF) 6-3, 6-25. Marijana Cutuk (FIU) def. Anna Yakimchenkova (UCF) 6-3, 6-46. Maria Spenceley (FIU) def. Jennifer Carati (UCF) 6-4, 6-2
Match Notes:UCF 2-4Florida International 2-2; National ranking #33Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,4,6,5,3,1) ="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>