Hurricanes Fall to Gators in 4-3 Heartbreaker
Feb. 12, 2006
CORAL GABLES, <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Fla.– Sophomore Audra Cohen upset the nation’s No. 1 ranked player and the Hurricanes swept all three doubles matches but 13th ranked Miami could not topple No. 2 Florida’s tough singles lineup as the Gators claimed a 4-3 victory Sunday afternoon at the NeilSchiffTennisCenter.
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With the loss, the Hurricanes fall to 3-3 overall while the Gators improve to 4-0 on the season.
Miami started the match strong with all three doubles teams jumping ahead 3-1. Freshman Monika Dancevic and junior Audrey Banada finished first, topping No. 50 Lolita Frangulyan and Diana Srebrovic 8-3 at the No. 2 slot. Senior Melissa Applebaum and Cohen clinched the doubles point for the Hurricanes with an 8-4 upset victory over No. 25 Whitney Benik and Nina Suvak at the No. 1 position. Sophomore Patricia Starzyk and Caren Seenauth completed the doubles sweep at the No. 3 position with an 8-6 win over UF’s Alexis Gordon/Keri Robinson pair.
Unranked Cohen pulled-off another upset to open singles play. Cohen gave up only one game en route to a dominating 6-1, 6-0 victory over No. 1 ranked Srebrovic at the No. 1 position to put Miami up 2-0.
Gators, however, rebounded with wins at courts No. 4, 2 and 3. UF clinched the match after No. 91 Frangulyan topped Seenauth, 7-5, 6-3, at the No. 6 position.
Though Florida claimed the match victory, play continued for UM’s No. 40 Banada and UF’s No. 63 Suvak at court No. 5. Banada, who came back from a 5-1 deficit in the first set, claimed the win, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
The Hurricanes return to action when they host Central Florida Saturday, Feb. 18 at 1:00 p.m. in the NeilSchiffTennisCenter.