ORLANDO, Fla. – The No. 10 UCF women's tennis team topped UC Santa Barbara with a score of 4-2 on Friday, January 28, at the USTA National Campus.
"I think we started doubles really well and that gave us a lot of energy," Nadja Bay Christians said, "In singles, it was tight on all the courts, but I am very happy to have clinched the match. Now, we will try to get the win tomorrow."
Despite dropping the first doubles match, the Knights came back to win court two and three to clinch the doubles point.
UCSB went up first after Elizaveta Volodko and Shakhnoza Khatamova won on court one over Marie Mattel and Noel Saidenova, 6-3, but Nandini Sharma and Sophia Biolay defeated Camille Kiss and Filippa Bruu-Syversen on court three by a score of 6-4, to tie 1-1. It all came down to court two where Evgeniya Levashova and Nadja Bay faced Amelia Honer and Kira Reuter. The Knights earned a big 6-2 win to clinch the doubles point.
In singles, Noel Saidenova edged out Elizaveta Volodko by a score of 7-5, 6-4 on court two while Sophia Biolay topped Amelia Honer on court four with a 6-4, 6-3 decision. The two freshmen earned a pair of points for the Knights, helping them lead 3-0.
UCSB then made things interesting as Nandini Sharma fell to Filippa Bruu-Syversen on court six, 5-7, 2-6 and #102 Marie Mattel's hard-fought comeback came up just short as she fell to Camille Kiss on court three, 2-6, 6-7(6). The Gauchos quickly made it 3-2.
It came down to two, but Nadja Bay Christians clinched the match with a three-set win over Kira Reuter with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. The Knights secured the match 4-2 to move onto the championship match tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.
On court one, #37 Evgeniya Levashova was in a battle with Shakhnoza Khatamova but went unfinished, 7-6(5), 4-6, 1-2.
"I am very happy the team won today," Sophia Biolay said, "Everybody felt well and i cannot wait until tomorrow."
UP NEXT
The Knights will play in the ITA Kickoff championship match tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at the USTA National Campus against No. 25 Auburn.
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