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TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, APRIL 18, 2014 – No. 41 USF women's tennis started its American Athletic Conference Championship pursuit with a 4-0 victory over sixth-seeded SMU in Friday's quarterfinals at the USF Varsity Courts.
The third-seeded Bulls (16-3) didn't drop a set on the way to extending their winning streak to 13 matches and improving to 11-0 at home this season. USF will face second-seeded Memphis in Saturday's semifinals at noon at the Varsity Courts.
“I think we handled it right. We were confident, but not overconfident because we had beaten them before,” head coach Agustin Moreno said. “We played really well in doubles and we got the match done pretty fast.”
USF defeated SMU, 6-1, earlier this season at the USF Varsity Courts on March 12 and the Bulls made quick work of the Mustangs ahead of the rain moving into the Tampa area early Friday afternoon.
Olaya Garrido-Rivas and Fanny Fracassi teamed up for an 8-2 doubles win over Holly Verner and Hristina Dishkova before Vera Bessonova and Olga Martinez secured the doubles point with an 8-3 victory over Anna Kate Anderson and Macie Elliot.
Kayla Rizzolo kept the Bulls rolling with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Hristina Dishkova in the No. 2 singles spot and fellow senior Loreto Alonso-Martinez took care of Dasha Sharapova, 6-2, 6-2, in the top singles position. Martinez finished off the match with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Anderson in the fifth singles spot.
“It's great to go like this,” Moreno said. “We're confident from the whole season, but the first match is always kind of like a nervous match and we handled it really well.”
USF now turns its attention to Memphis after defeating the Tigers, 5-2, at the USF Varsity Courts on March 14. No. 39 Memphis (14-8) handed UCF a 4-1 loss in the conference quarterfinals on Friday morning. Admission is free at the USF Varsity Courts all weekend.
“It's a tough match,” Moreno said. “We've beaten them before but they're ranked a little ahead of us, so it's going to be a good one.”
No. 3 seed USF 4, No. 6 seed SMU 0
Match 6
April 18, 2014
Varsity Courts, Tampa, Fla. – 8 a.m. ET
Doubles:
1. Alonso-Martinez/Rizzolo (USF) did not finish vs. Sharapova/Bulgakova (SMU)
2. Garrido-Rivas/Fracassi (USF) def. Verner/Dishkova (SMU): 8-2
3. Bessonova/Martinez (USF) def. Anderson/Elliott (SMU): 8-3*
Singles:
1. Loreto Alonso-Martinez (USF) def. Dasha Sharapova (SMU): 6-2, 6-2
2. Kayla Rizzolo (USF) def. Hristina Dishkova (SMU): 6-2, 6-0
3. Olaya Garrido-Rivas (USF) did not finish vs. Vaszilisza Bulgakova (SMU)
4. Fanny Fracassi (USF) did not finish vs. Yana Erkeeva (SMU)
5. Olga Martinez (USF) def. Anna Kate Anderson (SMU): 6-3, 6-0*
6. Alessandra Bonte (USF) did not finish vs. Macie Elliott (SMU)
*deciding match
Match Duration: 2:29
