Mjos Clinches 4-3 Win for No. 47 Bulls over FIU
The USF women's tennis team beat FIU, 4-3, Saturday afternoon, to improve to 11-8
 
HOUSTON, APRIL 6, 2019 – Sophomore Alexandria Mjos clinched USF's 4-3 win over FIU with a three-set triumph on court six, 5-7, 6-0, 6-1.
 
USF (11-8, 4-0 AAC) battled on courts one and three to clinch the doubles point over FIU (10-6, 4-0 C-USA) and take an early 1-0 lead. On court three, junior Janvhi Clark (Tauranga, New Zealand), and freshman Laura Pellicer Perello (Gandia, Valencia, Spain), cruised to a 6-3 win on court three. Immediately after, the pairing of seniors Nicole Dzenga (Harare, Zimbabwe), and Vanja Klaric (Gaborone, Botswana), won their match with the same score on court one, clinching the doubles point. The match on court two went unfinished.
 
FIU responded with a singles win on court two against Klaric to even the score, 1-1. Senior No. 48 Ana Roman Dominguez (Burgos, Spain), won in straight-sets, 6-3, 6-4, on court one to extend the USF lead to 2-1 and improve her record to 13-3. Dzenga fell 6-3 in her first set, but rallied in the next two, winning 6-1, 6-2, on court five.
 
With the Bulls up 3-1, FIU rallied on courts three and four to beat Pellicer Perello 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, and freshman Amelie Boy (Trianon, Mauritis), 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, and tie up the match for the second time, 3-3.
 
It all came down to court six, where Mjos (Austin, Texas), went down 5-7 in the first set, but dominated the next two, 6-0, 6-1, clinching the Bulls' win, 4-3.
 
 
Quotable
Head coach Cristina Moros on Saturday's victory:
"I'm really proud of our effort today and we needed it against a team like FIU. I know what kind of team I have, and they are warriors, and they continue to fight when they need it the most."
 
Match Results:
Singles competition:
1. #48 ROMAN, Ana (USF) def. Veksler,Maryna (FIU) 6-3, 6-4
2. Umarova,Kamila (FIU) def. KLARIC, Vanja (USF) 6-1, 6-4
3. Akbas,Basak (FIU) def. PELLICER PERELLO, L (USF) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
4. Bozinovic,Sandra (FIU) def. BOY, Amelie (USF) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
5. DZENGA, Nicole (USF) def. Bakaite,Paulina (FIU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
6. MJOS, Alexandria (USF) def. Turrillo,Maria (FIU) 5-7, 6-0, 6-1
 
Doubles competition:
1. DZENGA, Nicole/KLARIC, Vanja (USF) def. Akbas,Basak/Umarova,Kamila (FIU) 6-3
2. Bozinovic,Sandra/Turrillo,Maria (FIU) vs. BOY, Amelie/ROMAN, Ana (USF) 5-3, unfinished
3. CLARK, Janvhi/PELLICER PERELLO, L (USF) def. Bakaite,Paulina/Veksler,Maryna (FIU) 6-3
 
Match Notes:
South Florida 11-8; National ranking #47
FIU Panthers 10-6
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (2,1,5,3,4,6) T-2:53
 
Up Next:
USF will play its third match in three days at Houston on Sunday at noon (ET).

Be sure to follow USF women's tennis on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. Head coach Cristina Moros will be in her fifth year at the helm, as she led the program to an American Athletic Conference Championship in 2017.