USF Senior Writer

The USF women's tennis found out it can compete against one of the best in the nation Sunday.

Ecaterina Vasenina won one of the Bulls' three matches in a 5-2 loss at No. 11 Miami in the finale of the ITA Kickoff Weekend in Coral Gables.

Vasenina, USF's top player, defeated Anna Bartenstein, 6-4, 6-4, in the No. 1 singles position. Fanny Fracassi, USF's No. 4 singles player, earned the Bulls' second point of the match by defeating Melissa Bolivar, 3-6, 7-5, 11-9.

Vasenina teamed up with Loreto Alonso Martinez for an 8-2 doubles win over Bartenstein and Brittany Dubins, but the Hurricanes got the doubles point for winning two out of three.

USF head coach Augustin Moreno was "proud" of his team's effort and thought the Bulls gained valuable experience against the Hurricanes.

"In order to beat them we just need to get a little tougher and a little better," Moreno said. "We have to work hard."

USF heads to Gainesville for its next match of the spring season to face Florida on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 4 p.m.

Hurricanes head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews credited the Bulls for a tough match before Miami heads to the ITA Women's Team Indoor Championships in February.

"We knew that South Florida was a strong team. We knew they were feisty, we knew they were physical," she said. "I was really happy to see how the team came out today and played. They did exactly what I asked them to do."

Jan 29, 2012 at Coral Gables, Fla.

(Neil Schiff Tennis Center)

#11 Miami (Fla.) 5, #42 South Florida 2

Singles competition

1. Ecaterina Vasenina (USF) def. Anna Bartenstein (UM) 6-4, 6-4

2. Gabriela Mejia (UM) def. Loreto Martinez (USF) 6-2, 6-2

3. Lina Lileikite (UM) def. Danielle Mills (USF) 6-4, 6-3

4. Fanny Fracassi (USF) def. Melissa Bolivar (UM) 3-6, 7-5, 11-9

5. Liat Zimmerman (UM) def. Alessandra Bonte (USF) 6-2, 6-1

6. Brittany Dubins (UM) def. Lucie Rey (USF) 6-2, 7-5

Doubles competition

1. Ecaterina Vasenina/Loreto Martinez (USF) def. Anna Bartenstein/Brittany Dubins (UM) 8-2

2. Melissa Bolivar/Liat Zimmerman (UM) def. Fanny Fracassi/Lucie Rey (USF) 8-3

3. Gabriela Mejia/Lina Lileikite (UM) def. Danielle Mills/Paula Montoya (USF) 8-3

Match Notes:

South Florida 1-1; National ranking #42

Miami (Fla.) 2-0; National ranking #11

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (5,2,3,6,1,4)

ITA Kick-Off Weekend Championship

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