Texas Takes Down USF in NCAA First Round Action
May 13, 2011
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Texas moved on into the second round of the 2011 NCAA Women’s Tennis Championships with a 4-0 win over USF Friday at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.
Texas will now play the winner of No. 1 seed Miami and No. 4 seed FIU in the regional final Saturday at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center. The Hurricanes and Panthers will first play Friday afternoon at 1 p.m.
The second-seeded Longhorns (17-7) jumped out to an early lead over the Bulls (11-12) by claiming the doubles point with an 8-2 win at No. 3 and an 8-6 win at No. 1.
When singles play got underway, Texas remained in control, winning four of six first sets before quickly winning at No. 6, No. 5 and No. 4 to claim the win and move on.
“We played solid in doubles,” head coach Patty Fendick-McCain said. “We had our game plan. We had played them before so it was nice to have a known opponent so you know what you are going up against.
“They are a really good team, they’ve got a great coach and he’s doing a great job with them. I think it was a little bit to our advantage because we knew what we were coming into. We played well today and competed well. That’s all you can ask.”
UT went up 2-0 when Cierra Gaytan-Leach defeated Kate Parker, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 6. Moments later, the Longhorns got wins from Juliana Gajic at No. 5 and Amanda Craddock at No. 4 to clinch the win.
“All three [in the bottom half of the line-up] have been really solid for us all year,” Fendick-McCain said. “They are doing a great job.”
In the unfinished positions, USF’s 35th-ranked Irene Rehberger was ahead of 21st-ranked Aeriel Ellis, 6-4, 2-3 at No. 1, USF’s 93rd-ranked Ecaterina Vasenina was leading Krista Damico, 6-2, 1-2 at No. 2 and UT’s Maggie Mello led 61st-ranked Jenette Bejlkova, 6-3, 5-2 at No. 3.
“Up top, it’s always tough because everybody always has such good players up there,” Fendick-McCain said. “Some days your players play better and sometimes they do. It comes down to depth at the bottom of the line-up and that has been big for us.”
Saturday will mark the eighth straight year Texas will be playing the NCAA’s second round.
NCAA Coral Gables Regional
First Round
Neil Schiff Tennis Center
May 13, 20011
(2) Texas 4, (3) USF 0
- Irene Rehberger (USF) leading Aeriel Ellis (UT), 6-4, 2-3
- Ecaterina Vasenina (USF) leading Krista Damico (UT), 6-2, 2-1
- Maggie Mello (UT) leading Jannette Bejlkova (USF), 6-3, 2-5
- Amanda Craddock (UT) def. Loreto Alonso Martinez (USF), 6-3, 6-0
- Juliana Gajic (UT) def. Alessandra Bonte (USF), 6-1, 6-0
- Cierra Gaytan-Leach (UT) def. Kate Parker (USF), 6-2, 6-2
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 4
- Amanda Craddock/Cierra Gaytan-Leach (UT) def. Jannette Bejlkova/Loreto Alonso Martinez (USF), 8-6
- Krista Damico/Aeriel Ellis (UT) leading Ecaterina Vasenina/Irene Rehberger (USF), 5-4
- Juliana Gajic/Maggie Mello (UT) def. Allesandra Bonte/Kate Parker (USF), 8-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1
