RICHMOND, Ky. (3/30/13) - The North Texas tennis team won its first of two matches in the Bluegrass State defeating Eastern Kentucky, 5-2.

"Eastern Kentucky is a very good team and gave us all that we could handle," assistant coach Wade Zimmerman said after Saturday's match.

The Mean Green (11-4, 4-0) grabbed an early advantage winning the doubles point. Dané Joubert and Ilona Serchenko grabbed their eighth doubles victory of the season defeating Amandine Faouzi and Danielle Kinnen. 8-5.

Kseniya Bardabush and Franziska Sprinkmeyer battled back from match point to defeat Saioa Oscoz and Milena Poffo, 8-7.

"We came out very flat in doubles, but were able to comeback and overcome a match point to clinch the doubles point," Zimmerman added. "However, we came out and played very solid singles top to bottom today."

Valentina Starkova dropped only three points on her way to defeating Poffo at the No. 3 singles position, 6-2; 6-1. Augustina Valenzuela defeated Carmen Rodriguez, 6-3; 6-2, at the No. 6 singles position to give the Mean Green a 3-0 edge.

North Texas then dropped matches at the No. 4 and 1 positions to bring the match score to 3-2.

Serchenko clinched the match for the Mean Green defeating Marcela Jimenez in a three-set thriller, 4-6; 6-3 (10-5).

"This match will definitely give us momentum going into tomorrow's match against the University of Louisville," Zimmerman added.

North Texas is slated to face the University of Louisville tomorrow, March 31, at 11 a.m. Fans can keep track of the match via live stats provided by Louisville.

North Texas 5, Eastern Kentucky 2

March 30, 2013

Richmond, Ky.

Singles


1. Amandine Faouzi (EKU) def. Kseniya Bardabush (NT) 2-6, 6-2, (12-10)

2. Barbora Vykydalova (NT) def. Kristina Labeja (EKU) 4-6, 7-6, (10-4)

3. Valentina Starkova (NT) def. Milena Poffo (EKU) 6-2, 6-1

4. Saioa Oscoz (EKU) def. Franziska Sprinkmeyer (NT) 6-2, 6-3

5. Ilona Serchenko (NT) def. Marcela Jimenez (EKU) 4-6, 6-3, (10-5)

6. Agustina Valenzuela (NT) def. Carmen Rodriguez (EKU) 6 -3, 6-2

Doubles

1. Gerritsen/Labeja (EKU) def. Starkova/Vykydalova (NT) 8-3

2. Bardabush/Sprinkmeye (NT) def. Oscoz/Poffo (EKU) 8-7 (6)

3. Joubert/Serchenko (NT) def. Faouzi/Kinnen (EKU) 8-5

Match Notes

North Texas (11-4)


Eastern Kentucky (12-6)

Order of Finish

Singles: (3, 6, 4, 1, 5*, 2)

Doubles: (1, 3, 2)