FORT MEYERS, Fla. (1/20/13) - The Mean Green ended day two of the Florida Gulf Coast Invitational with five players advancing to the finals of their single's flights.
"Our execution and focus was sharper today," head coach Sujay Lama said. "We are competing well and playing with great energy. It's important we finish strong tomorrow."
Upperclassmen Valentina Starkova, Ilona Serchenko, Kseniya Bardabush and Franziska Sprinkmeyer went 4-0 on day two all advancing to the finals in their respective flights.
Starkova defeated Marina Cunningham, of North Florida, in straight sets 6-3; 6-3. Serchenko defeated Rebeca Pereira, of North Florida, 6-2; 3-6; 10-8. Bardabush defeated FGCU's Sarah Means 6-3, 7-6 (3). Sprinkmeyer defeated Rebekah Jenkins, of Liberty, 4-6, 6-2, 10-4.
Freshmen Agustina Valenzuela, Emelia Box, Dané Joubert and Victoria Parshikova went 3-1 in singles play on Sunday. Valenzuela defeated Nicola Wellman, of Liberty, 4-6; 6-2; 10-4 to move on to the consolation finals. Parshikova fell to North Florida's Mariella Calderon 7-6 (4); 6-3.
Box defeated Bettina Botha, of FGCU, 7-6; 7-5 to advance to the Flight 5 finals where she will meet teammate Joubert, who defeated North Florida's Melanie Aguirre 7-5; 1-6; 10-5.
"Our freshmen were outstanding today in singles play," Lama added. "They have matured a lot and it sure is great to see them improve."
The tournament season ends tomorrow as the Mean Green wrap up at the FGCU Invitational.
Results
Singles
Flight 1
Kseniya Bardabush (UNT) def. Sarah Means (FGCU) - 6-3, 7-6 (3)
Barbora Vykydalova (UNT) def. Polina Konop (NSULA) - 6-3, 7-6 (3) (Consolation)
Flight 2
Valentina Starkova (UNT) def. Marina Cunningham (UNF) - 6-3, 6-3
Flight 3
Ilona Serchenko (UNT) def. Rebeca Pereira (UNF) - 6-2, 3-6, 10-8
Flight 4
Franziska Sprinkmeyer (UNT) def. Rebekah Jenkins (LU) - 4-6, 6-2, 10-4
Agustina Valenzuela (UNT) def. Nicola Wellman (LU) - 4-6, 6-2, 10-4 (Consolation)
Flight 5
Emelia Box (UNT) def. Bettina Botha (FGCU) - 7-6, 7-5
Dané Joubert (UNT) def. Melanie Aguirre (UNF) - 7-5; 1-6; 10-5
Flight 6
Mariella Calderon (UNF) def. Victoria Parshikova (UNT) - 7-6 (4), 6-3
Doubles
Flight 1
Bardabush/Sprinkmeyer (UNT) def. Aviles/Aguirre (UNF) - 8-2
Starkova/Vykydalova (UNT) def. Richard/Sheeran (LU) - 8-2 (Consolation)
Flight 2
Sterkel/Mandic (FGCU) def. Joubert/Serchenko (UNT) - 8-6
Flight 3
Weymar/Calderon (UNF) def. Box/Valenzuela - 8-6
