TAMPA (February 7, 2024) – The University of South Florida Bulls women's tennis team (3-2) rallied in singles competition for a gritty 4-3 win on the final court over the Stetson Hatters (2-4) in a Wednesday matinee at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.

Gargi Pawar sealed the win on Court 6 in a thrilling three-set match.

"That was a gutsy win from our team today," said head coach Cristian Moros. "Stetson has a very talented team and they pushed us. We didn't play very well in doubles overall, so the team knew they had some work to do after the doubles point. Excellent wins on courts one, three and four. They took care of business. Gargi had to battle on court six to secure the win for us. This team is showing some resiliency and starting to show what they are capable of when the match is on the line. We're looking forward to competing again on Friday."

Teaming together for the first time this season, Grace Schumacher and Kelly Vargas earned a 6-2 win on Court 1, but the Bulls were edged on the other two courts as Stetson took a 1-0 team lead.

In singles competition, Schumacher was victorious on Court 1, but South Florida fell behind on the scoreboard, 3-1. However, wins from Melisa Senli and Marta Falceto Font, both in straight sets, set up the match-deciding showdown Pawar and Stetson's Magdalena Hedrzak.

Pawar won the opening set, 6-2, before falling, 2-6, and forcing a winner-take-all finale which would need to go the distance in a 7-5 decision for USF.

Up Next
The Bulls continue their homestand against FAU on Friday, February 9 at 12 p.m. in Tampa.

About Women's Tennis
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, a former collegiate national champion and four-time All-American, is in her ninth year at the helm entering the 2023-24 season. She was named the 2017 AAC Coach of the Year after leading the Bulls to the conference championship that season.
 
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