Jan. 25, 2014
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFKnights.com
FORT MYERS, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - The dual-match season kicked off Saturday in memorable fashion for the UCF women's tennis team as it edged Florida Gulf Coast, 4-3.
The Knights (1-0) breezed out to a 1-0 overall lead over the Eagles (2-1) with a pair of convincing doubles wins. At No. 1, Josephine Haraldson and Courtney Griffith shut out Elizabeth Means and Sarah Means, 6-0, and at No. 2 Sofia Baptista and Cortney Cesarini took down Bettina Botha and Johana Sterkel, 6-1.
Singles went back and forth during the session in a highly-contested affair. Cesarini only gave up two games in her 6-0, 6-2 triumph at No. 4 against Botha, and Clare Mendell did just a tad better in her 6-1, 6-0 decision vs. Gyanna Madic at No. 6.
With the match knotted at 3-3, it all came down to No. 2 where Griffith was battling Breana Stampfli. The UCF senior secured the first set, 7-6, before dropping the second, 6-4. Under the new ITA rules, the third set would be decided by a super tiebreaker (previously, the third set would be played out if neither team had not won at least four points). And Griffith pulled out the close contest, defeating Stampfli in the breaker, 10-8.
UCF will be off to Gainesville next as it will take on Florida Wednesday at 3 p.m. The Knights will then be home Jan. 31 when it hosts South Alabama at 2 p.m.
Tennis Match ResultsUCF vs Florida Gulf CoastJan 25, 2014 at Fort Myers, Fla.
UCF 4, Florida Gulf Coast 3
Singles competition1. Sarah Means (FGCU) def. Josephine Haraldson (UCF) 6-3, 6-02. Courtney Griffith (UCF) def. Breana Stampfli (FGCU) 7-6, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8)3. Johanna Sterkel (FGCU) def. Sofia Baptista (UCF) 6-3, 6-04. Cortney Cesarini (UCF) def. Bettina Botha (FGCU) 6-0, 6-25. Elizabeth Means (FGCU) def. Annika Hepp (UCF) 6-2, 6-46. Clare Mendell (UCF) def. Gyanna Mandic (FGCU) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition1. Josephine Haraldson/Courtney Griffith (UCF) def. Elizabeth Means/Sarah Means (FGCU) 6-02. Sofia Baptista/Cortney Cesarini (UCF) def. Bettina Botha/Johanna Sterkel (FGCU) 6-13. Breana Stampfli/Gyanna Mandic (FGCU) vs. Caroline Eberhart/Annika Hepp (UCF) 2-3, unfinished
Match Notes:UCF 1-0Florida Gulf Coast 2-1="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>