ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – The No. 21 UCF women's tennis team kept its foot on the gas Friday night at the USTA National Campus, grinding out a 4-1 victory over No. 37 FIU.
The win was the ninth straight for the Knights (15-2, 3-0), as the Black and Gold continue their stellar play in a record-breaking season.
"FIU, we know they always bring it," said UCF head coach Bryan Koniecko. "They bring good energy, they bring good fight and that's what they did today. "What was nice was that we responded and didn't get too discouraged and regrouped, and got the win."
UCF set the tempo against the Panthers (10-2, 3-0) with a dominant doubles performance for the opening match point.
Monica Matias and Natalia Serrano cruised to a clean 6-0 sweep of Mina Markovic and Sandra Bozinovic at No. 3 in the first final.
The clincher came at No. 1, when Ksenia Kuznetsova and Maria Martinez turned in an impressive 6-1 victory over the No. 14 nationally ranked doubles pair of Maryna Veksler and Ulyana Grib.
FIU made the Knights work in singles play, but UCF showed resiliency in battling many long points on several courts.
The Panthers lone point came at No. 1, when Oracle/ITA Division I No. 4 ranked singles player Andrea Lazaro defeated Kuznetsova, 6-2, 6-1 to tie the match at 1-1.
The Knights would go back ahead with a win at No. 6, when Silvia Bordes earned a straight sets win over Markovic, 6-2, 6-2.
No. 122 singles player, Rebeka Stolmar put UCF on the brink of victory at No. 3 with her 6-4, 6-2 win over Bozinovic.
The clincher came at No. 5, when Serrano clawed her way to a three-set victory over Nerma Caluk, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.
#21 UCF 4, #37 FIU Panthers 1
Singles Competition
1. #4 Andrea Lazaro (FIU) def. Ksenia Kuznetsova (UCF-W) 6-2, 6-1
2. Maria Martinez (UCF-W) vs. Ulyana Grib (FIU) unfinished
3. #122 Rebeka Stolmar (UCF-W) def. Sandra Bozinovic (FIU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Monica Matias (UCF-W) vs. Maryna Veksler (FIU) unfinished
5. Natalia Serrano (UCF-W) def. Nerma Caluk (FIU) 6-2, 5-7, 6-2
6. Silvia Bordes (UCF-W) def. Mina Markovic (FIU) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles Competition
1. Ksenia Kuznetsova/Maria Martinez (UCF-W) def. #14 Maryna Veksler/Ulyana Grib (FIU) 6-1
2. Silvia Bordes/Rebeka Stolmar (UCF-W) vs. Andrea Lazaro/Nerma Caluk (FIU) unfinished
3. Monica Matias/Natalia Serrano (UCF-W) def. Mina Markovic/Sandra Bozinovic (FIU) 6-0
Match Notes:
UCF 15-2; National ranking #21
FIU Panthers 10-2; National ranking #37
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (1,6,3,5)
UP NEXT
The Knights will next hit the road to face rival USF in a War on I-4 matchup in Tampa, Wednesday April 4 at 3 p.m.
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