TAMPA (March 18, 2016) – The USF women's tennis team extended its winning streak to seven matches Friday afternoon, defeating No. 41 Columbia, 6-1, at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts. USF has now beaten three ranked opponents this season. 

The Bulls (9-5) started the afternoon with an early 1-0 lead by taking the doubles point. Sophomores Jessica Cortes Chaves (Monterrey, Mexico) and Juliana Cardoso (Descalvado, Brazil) won their seventh straight doubles match by defeating their opponent 6-2. The USF duo of Chloe Murphy (England) and Nicole Dzenga (Harare, Zimbabwe) clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 win on court three.

It was much of the same for the Bulls as play shifted to singles. Chaves pushed the lead to 2-0 with a 6-3, 6-3 straight set win on the premier court. Junior Vera Bessonova (Moscow, Russia) quickly followed with a 6-4, 6-2 win to give USF a three-point lead.

Cardoso clinched the win for the Bulls by defeating her opponent 6-1, 7-6 (7-0). Having won her last six singles matches, Cardoso is now 8-3 on the season. The fifth point of the afternoon for USF was secured by freshman Ana Roman Dominguez (Spain) on court two. After dropping her first set, Dominguez stormed back to win 0-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The sixth and final point for the Bulls was won by freshman Nicole Dzenga on court six. Dzenga forced a third set tie break and defeated her opponent 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 1-0 (10-5).

The Bulls are back in action Sunday, March 20, as they take on Middle Tennessee State at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts at 11 a.m. Admission for all home matches is free to the public.