The No. 8 Florida women’s tennis team scored a 4-0 victory over No. 31 FIU Sunday in the second round of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships at Linder Stadium/Ring Tennis Complex.
Florida (4-0) advances to the round of 16 Feb. 12-15 at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison, Wis.
“Overall, I was very happy with how we played this weekend,” Florida head coach Roland Thornqvist said. “We knew that FIU would be a tough challenge. They showed that Friday when they played a lot of close matches. We knew we had our work cut out for us.”
Florida started strong, winning the doubles point as the Gators’ No. 1 tandem of Marrit Boonstra and Allie Will and the No. 2 pair of Lauren Embree and Anastasia Revzina both won 8-4 in a little over an hour. Then Florida needed just 70 minutes to pick up its three singles victories to clinch the match.
Claire Bartlett needed 54 minutes to win, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 6 singles. At No. 4, Anastasia Revzina won 6-1, 6-1 to set up the clinching victory at No. 2 singles as Will won, 6-1, 6-1. At the time of Will’s victory, Florida was one game away from victory in two of the three remaining singles matches. Lauren Embree was ahead 6-2, 5-0 at No. 1 and Caroline Hitimana was ahead 6-1, 5-2 at No. 5.
“I thought we played our best singles match of the season, from one through six,” Thornqvist said. “We played with discipline and great body language. Each court was feeding off the next.”
ITA WOMEN’S INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Second round at Linder Stadium/Ring Tennis Complex
No. 8 FLORIDA 4, No. 31 FIU 0
Doubles
1. Marrit Boonstra/Allie Will (F) def. (18) Liset Brito/Priscilla Castillo, 8-4; 2. Lauren Embree/Anastasia Revzina (F) def. Mariana Muci/Chrissie Seredni, 8-4; 3. Caroline Hitimana/Joanna Mather (F) vs. Maria Pazo/Maria Vallasciani, 6-6, did not finish. Order of finish: 1, 2.
Singles
1. (15) Lauren Embree (F) led Liset Brito, 6-2, 5-0, did not finish; 2. (13) Allie Will (F) def. Chrissie Seredni, 6-1, 6-1; 3. (81) Marrit Boonstra (F) led Mariana Muci, 6-2, 1-1, did not finish; 4. (92) Anastasia Revzina (F) def. Maria Pazo, 6-1, 6-1; 5. Caroline Hitimana (F) led Priscilla Castillo, 6-1, 5-2, did not finish; 6 Claire Bartlett (F) def. Maria Vallasciani, 6-0, 6-1. Order of finish: 6, 4, 2.
Records: Florida 4-0, FIU 3-1.