TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The No.30-ranked Florida State women's tennis team dropped its final home match of the 2013 season to top-ranked North Carolina, 5-2 today at the Indoor Tennis Facility. With two dual matches remaining in the spring, the Seminoles are 12-7 (4-5) on the year.
"I'm proud of how we competed today," head coach Jennifer Hyde said. "I was very inspired with the effort and the attitudes up and down the court. I was very happy with our level of play. We're walking out of here with our heads held high, playing against a very good North Carolina team. We had the opportunities in the match to pull off the upset, but what's important is that we continue to play better tennis as the year goes on."
In doubles, senior Amy Sargeant and sophomore Mia Vriens won their eighth-consecutive match after defeating Ashley Dai and Zoe DeBryucker. Sargeant and Vriens went up a break at 3-2 and held the edge throughout the match before Vriens served out the dual for the 8-6 win.
Clinching the 1-0 advantage for the `Noles was senior Francesca Segarelli and sophomore Daneika Borthwick on court one. Segarelli and Borthwick picked up their first victory as a pair this spring over the No.52-ranked duo of Whitney Dai and Caroline Price, 8-4.
The match on court three was halted after Florida State won the point. Juniors Kristina Schleich and Kerrie Cartwright trailed 6-4 to Gina Suarez-Malaguti and Tessa Lyons when play was called.
"We're playing some of the best doubles in years," Hyde said. "We've found a couple different combinations that are working and we're playing more offensive minded. That is one area that we've progress tremendously. We're playing aggressive and confident and it makes a big difference playing with the kind of schedule that we have."
In singles, North Carolina evened the score 1-1 after Lauren McHale defeated Kerrie Cartwright on court five, 6-4, 6-0.
On court one, Segarelli was shut out of the first set by seventh-ranked Suarez-Malaguli but bounced in the second. Segarelli fell behind a break at 4-3, but could not overtake Suarez as she lost, 6-0, 7-5.
After falling into a 4-1 hole in the second set, Vriens charged back to take the lead 6-5 on court three. But (No.34) Kay tied it at six before pulling away in the tiebreaker to take the match. Vriens fell 6-1, 7-6.
Sargeant closed the gap TO 3-2 with a three-set victory on court four. Sargeant is now 25-6 on the year in singles after defeating (No.42) Price, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4. It was also her highest ranked win of her career.
"She had a little bit of a mental let down in the second set," Hyde said. "But she dialed in and found a way to get it done in the third. That girl she played hasn't lost a dual match all season, so that speaks highly about her effort today."
With two courts left in play, the Seminoles faced a 3-2 deficit.
On court six, Schleich was able to fight back to win the second set, but could not keep the momentum going as Lyons took control of the decisive third. Schleich lost 6-4, 4-6, 6-0.
Borthwick (No.53) faced DeBryucker (No.48) in an even-keeled match on court two. After splitting sets, 7-5 and 6-4, Borthwick falter in the tiebreak, 10-5, giving the Tar Heels the 5-2 win. Borthwick fell to DeBryucker, 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5).
The Seminoles will travel to Virginia on April 20 for a match against the Cavaliers at 11 a.m. before taking on Virginia Tech at 11 a.m. on April 21 to close out the regular season. For more information, check back to Seminoles.com, Facebook and Twitter.
