ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com)--The UCF women's tennis team (8-1) extended its winning streak to six games on Friday afternoon, defeating Florida Gulf Coast, 6-1, at the USTA National Campus.
"I am very proud of our effort today," head coach Bryan Koniecko said. "Monica and Cortney did a great job of staying strong to give us the doubles point."
In doubles, Emilia Granstrom and Natalia Serrano added to their undefeated season with a 6-3 victory over Breana Stampfli and Maja Ornberg at the second doubles court.
On the top doubles court, Cortney Cesarini and Monica Matias took an early 5-2 lead before FGCU's Julia Ascua and Juliana Curtis made a comeback. Ascua and Curtis tied it at 5-5 before taking a 6-5 lead. Cesarini and Matias fought back to force a tiebreaker. The Knights carried the momentum over to win the tiebreaker 7-3 and clinch the doubles point.
"We competed hard at every spot in singles," Koniecko said. "FGCU was a tough opponent today. They are having a great season so far, so we knew it was going to be a tight match."
In singles, Matias finished first for the Knights, defeating Stampfli 7-6 (2), 6-3 to add the second point to the scoreboard.
Cesarini made quick work of Curtis in the first set, 6-3. Curtis fought back and forth throughout the second set, before Cesarini clinched a 7-6 (2) victory on the fourth court.
Granstrom grabbed the clinching point for the Knights at the number three position. In a back-and-forth battle with Ascua, Granstrom earned a 7-6 (3) victory in the first set. The second set played out the same way, winning with a tiebreaker, 7-6 (4).
Elizabeth Bagerbaseh defeated Laura Falceto, 7-5, 7-5, at the fifth spot to garner the fifth point for the Knights. Serrano dropped the first set 6-2, but battled back and earned a decisive 6-3, 6-3 win in the second and third sets and seal the 6-1 win for the Black and Gold.
The Knights host Florida Atlantic at the USTA National Campus on Feb. 24 at 5 p.m.
Results (Order of Finish)
Doubles (3,2,1):
1). Cortney Cesarini/ Monica Matias (UCF) d. Julia Ascua/ Juliana Curtis (FGCU), 7-6 (3)
2). Natalia Serrano/ Emilia Granstrom (UCF) d. Brenana Stampfli/Maja Ornberg (FGCU), 6-3
3). Laura Falceto/ Sara Kelly (FGCU) d. Elizabeth Bagerbaseh/ Nicole Jimenez (UCF), 6-4
Singles (6,2,4,3,1,5):
1). Natalia Serrano (UCF) d. Maja Ornberg (FGCU), 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
2). Monica Matias (UCF) d. Breana Stampfli (FGCU), 7-6 (2), 6-3
3). Emilia Granstrom (UCF) d. Julia Ascua (FGCU), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4)
4). Cortney Cesarini (UCF) d. Juliana Curtis (FGCU), 6-3, 7-6 (2)
5). Elizabeth Bagerbaseh (UCF) d. Laura Falceto (FGCU), 7-5, 7-5
6). Sara Kelly (FGCU) d. Nicole Jimenez (UCF), 6-1, 6-2