TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – The No. 23 UCF women’s tennis team is set to face the No. 11 Florida State Seminoles on Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at 3 p.m.
The Knights will play FSU for the second time this season. The two teams met for the third match of the season. UCF fell in that match by a score of 5-2 after dropping a gritty doubles point. FSU advanced to the second round of the tournament by sweeping South Alabama by a score of 4-0.
UCF is coming off of their fifth straight win with their last four all coming via the 4-0 sweep. The Knights have won 18 consecutive points over their last six matches. Their last time surrendering a point came on April 13 when USF tied the Knights at 2-2.
If UCF is able to sweep the Seminoles, it would be the first time that the Knights have swept five straight opponents since 1998 when the Knights dominated McNeese State and South Alabama 9-0 before sweeping through Samford, the College of Charleston and Georgia State by scores of 5-0 to win the 1998 A-Sun championship.
With the Knights win over Alabama, UCF set the program record for the most wins in a single season in program history. The Black and Gold picked up 22 victories in 1995 and 1997 and finally broke through with win No. 23 this season.
A few more records could be set against FSU in the second round. If the Knights win, it will be their first victory over the Seminoles in program history. It would also represent the first time the Knights advanced past the second round in the NCAA tournament.
As for individual records, Ksenia Kuznetsova picked up win No. 25 on the 2018-2019 campaign, tying her for third place on UCF’s all-time single season wins list. A win on Saturday would put her in a four-way tie for second place. Also creeping onto the list of single season wins is Rebeka Stolmar. She has collected 22 victories throughout the season, putting her in a tie for sixth place. Natalia Serrano is one win away from tying for sixth place as she currently sits with 21 wins.
There will be a few differences from the last time these two teams met. UCF’s lineup will look the same in sinlges, but both sides have a few differences in doubles. Marie Mattel and Serrano were on doubles court two while Stolmar was paired with Domenika Turkovic. The same four will play, but will be paired as they have been for a while; Stolmar with Mattel at No. 2 and Serrano teaming up with Turkovic at No. 3. The pairs have won seven and eight straight matches respectively.
FSU will have a different lineup from last time in singles. They’re No. 2 from last time switched with the No. 3 singles player. Emmanuelle Salas will play at No. 2 as she has split time equally between the second and third spots, picking up eight wins at each position. Ana Oparenovic will play at the No. 3 spot where she has collected a 5-3 record.
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