PANAMA CITY, Panama (UCFKnights.com) – For the third time in her career, UCF rising senior Monica Matias donned the red, white and blue of Puerto Rico to represent her homeland in the FedCup presented by BNP Paribas. Facing Honduras in the opening match of the Group II Americas Group C Round Robin, Matias guided her team to a 3-0 victory at the Centro de Alto Rendimiento Fred Maduro on Thursday afternoon.
Matias gave Puerto Rico an early singles point on Rubber One, but it did not come easy. The Moca, Puerto Rico, native needed all three sets to dispatch Natalie Gabriela Espinal Sanchez, winning 6-3, 0-6, 6-4. The win moved Matias' career record to 5-2 in FedCup singles action dating back to her first event in 2011.
Monica Puig, the 2016 Rio Olympics singles gold medalist and Matias' Puerto Rican teammate, cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 win in straight sets over Aljandra Obando on Rubber Two to clinch the match.
In doubles action, Puerto Rico's Lauren Anzalotta-Kynoch and Chantal Martinez-Blanco edged Daniela Obando and Ana Gabriela Zavala Mata 6-3, 6-4 to complete the sweep of Honduras.
Matias and her teammates will face Trinidad and Tobago in the final match of Group C with a Group II playoff appearance on the line on Friday. Trinidad and Tobago edged Honduras 2-1 on Wednesday. Puerto Rico holds a 3-1 all-time series lead.
UCFKnights.com will post a recap at the conclusion of the match.
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