ORLANDO – The 23rd-ranked UCF women's tennis team is set to kick off its 2023 spring dual match season this Saturday, Jan. 21. The Knights will host Stetson at the USTA National Campus, with the match beginning at 11 a.m. A live video stream of the courts will be available by clicking here.
Admission to the match is free.
The Knights are ranked No. 23 in the most recent ITA poll, marking the highest ranked team in the conference. Two Knights are ranked in singles, with Marie Mattel leading the way at No. 47, followed by Nandini Sharma at No. 110. The doubles tandem of Mattel and Sophia Biolay is ranked as well, coming in at No. 29.
The Black and Gold wrapped up its 2022 season with a 16-8 overall record and a berth to the NCAA Tournament, where the squad advanced to the second round after sweeping Alabama, 4-0. Mattel also earned a bid to the NCAA Singles Tournament for the first time in her collegiate career. Sharma also had a successful season, winning 13 consecutive matches to tie for the second longest winning streak in program history.
UCF returns six players from last year's team and added Stefani Webb, Jantje Tilbuerger, and Grace Levelston, who will wear the Black and Gold for the first time this spring season.
The Opponent
Stetson (1-0) has had a successful start to its 2023 spring dual match season, defeating Saint Leo on Saturday, Jan. 14 and the Hatters travel to Hillsborough Community College on Friday, Jan. 20 prior to their matchup with UCF on Saturday. The Hatters are currently unranked in the ITA poll but were the ASUN Champions in 2022. Stetson is led by Coach Travis Sandlant, the reigning ITA Southeast Region Coach of the Year, who is currently in his seventh year with the Hatters.
The all-time series between the teams is currently tied 27-27, but the Knights won the last meeting 7-0 on Feb. 4, 2021.
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