March 14, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - After surviving occasional rain hovering over the UCF campus, the women's tennis team defeated Syracuse, 5-1, Friday at the UCF Tennis Complex. The match opened up a five-match home stand for the Knights, who improved their record to 8-7 on the season with their win over the Orange (6-9).
The final singles match of the day between senior Jennifer Carati and Syracuse's Chelsea Jones was halted in the third-set super tiebreaker with Carati ahead 9-5 as rain was making the court to slippery to continue.
UCF got off to a flying start in doubles, sweeping the Orange in all three matches. Carati and junior Elvira Serrot cruised to an 8-3 win at No. 1 over Simone Kalhorn and Jacquelynn Tang. It was the duo's first win at No. 1 this year and they improved their 2007-08 record together to 13-6. At the No. 2 spot, senior Anna Yakimchenkova and junior Kenza Belbacha topped Ashley Spicer and Chelsea Jones, 8-6, while over at No. 3, senior Kyla McNicol and freshman Isa Ohlinger teamed up for the first time this year to defeat Maria Vasilyeva and Christina Tan, 8-2.
Momentum from doubles action stayed alive in singles play, where UCF took four of the five completed matches to lock up the team win. Serrot and Belbacha posted identical 6-1, 6-3 victories at No. 1 and No. 3, respectively. At No. 2, McNicol posted the opposite score in a 6-3, 6-1 win over Kalhorn. And posting her first win in dual-match play, Ohlinger had little trouble at No. 6, earning a 6-1, 6-0, decision against Tang.
The Knights resume their weekend Sunday when they welcome No. 49 Dartmouth to town at noon.
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UCF 5, Syracuse 1Doubles competition1. Jennifer Carati/Elvira Serrot (UCF) def. Simone Kalhorn/Jacquelynn Tang (SU) 8-32. Kenza Belbacha/Anna Yakimchenkova (UCF) def. Ashley Spicer/Chelsea Jones (SU) 8-63. Kyla McNicol/Isa Ohlinger (UCF) def. Maria Vasilyeva/Christina Tan (SU) 8-2
Singles competition1. Elvira Serrot (UCF) def. Christina Tan (SU) 6-1, 6-32. Kyla McNicol (UCF) def. Simone Kalhorn (SU) 6-3, 6-13. Kenza Belbacha (UCF) def. Ashley Spicer (SU) 6-1, 6-34. Maria Vasilyeva (SU) def. Anna Yakimchenkova (UCF) 7-5, 6-25. Jennifer Carati (UCF) vs. Chelsea Jones (SU) 3-6, 6-4, 0-0 (9-5), unfinished6. Isa Ohlinger (UCF) def. Jacquelynn Tang (SU) 6-1, 6-0
Match Notes:Syracuse 6-9UCF 8-7 ="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>