Florida State University Team Page
CORAL GABELS, Fla. - For the fifth time in school history, the No. 25 ranked Florida State women's tennis team defeated Miami. The 4-3 win over the Hurricanes is the first since 2008 and is the first over a top 25 team this season. The Seminoles move to 8-1 on the year and 1-0 to open up ACC play.
"I cannot say enough about this team and how they competed today," head coach Jennifer Hyde said. "I think winning this match, and how it was won, says so much about these girls. Every court was battle out there, and they played today like a Championship team. They were composed, poised, competitive, and they just were not going to be denied. You could feel up and down the six courts how much this team wanted to win, and they had the will."
Lifting the Seminoles to victory was sophomore Daneika Borthwick as she came back to defeat Kelsey Laurente 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (3) in a three set tiebreaker.
After losing the doubles point, FSU came back and won four singles matches in order to pull out the victory.
On court five, junior Kerrie Cartwright won her fifth match on the year as she defeated No. 105 Clementina Riobueno on court five 6-4, 6-2, tying the score 1-1. It was her first win over a ranked player in singles this season.
Vriens (No. 95) fell to Steffi Wagner on court three, 6-3, 6-2 before Miami took a 3-1 edge after Deborah Suarez defeated Schleich on court six, 6-4, 6-3.
With three matches still in play and the Hurricanes on the cusp of clinching the match, Segarelli (No. 91) delivered a dose of momentum with a victory on court two. She beat Monique Albuquerque in three sets, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2, cutting the Miami lead to 3-2.
After splitting her first two sets with Melissa Bolivar, Sargeant climbed out of a 3-2 hole in her first three-set match of the spring. Sargeant fought back and won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 evening the score 3-3, leaving the deciding match on court one.
Segarelli and Sargeant both extend their winning streaks to 11. They join the lone Seminole with an 11-match winning streak, Patti Henderson. Henderson accomplished the feat back in 1984.
"I'm so happy for our seniors," Hyde said. "This is the first time we have beaten Miami during their four years. This match was a goal set by those two months ago, and seeing that come to fruition for those two was priceless."
At this point in the match, No. 35 ranked Borthwick was up 1-0 against No. 52 Laurente. However, Borthwick fell behind 5-2 and faced two match points before coming back in the next two games to close the gap to 5-4.
Facing defeat, Borthwick broke Laurente's serve in order to stay alive with the score tied 5-5. Both ladies would hold their serves, forcing a tiebreaker to decide the match.
"This was Daneika's first time in this situation," Hyde said. "With the score tied 3-3 and the final point falling on her shoulders. She pulled herself out of a huge 2-5, 15-40 deficit in the third set. She battled like a champ to get back into the match and how she responded with her back against the wall was impressive."
Borthwick wore down Laurente, controlling the tiebreak 7-3 giving the Seminoles their first win over the Hurricanes in four seasons. The Cumbria, England native is now 7-3 when facing a ranked opponent.
"I can't say enough about how the entire team left their souls out there on court today," Hyde said. "As a coach, that's all you want to see. I could not be more proud of these young ladies."
Florida State will host No. 18 Clemson on Friday, March 1 at 3 p.m. at the Scott Speicher Tennis Center. The FSU men's tennis team will also welcome Texas at the same time. Both men's and women's doubles matches will be played on the same side, before breaking off into the north and south sides for singles. The event is the second time in school history that both teams are playing matches at the same time.
For more information throughout the week, check back to Seminoles.com, Facebook and twitter.
#25 Florida State 4, #11 Miami 3
Singles competition
1. #35 Daneika Borthwick def. #52 Kelsey Laurente: 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (3)
2. #91 Segarelli, Francesca def. Monique Albuquerque: 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
3. Steffi Wagner def. #95 Vriens, Mia: 6-3, 6-2
4. Sargeant, Amy def. Melissa Bolivar: 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
5. Cartwright, Kerrie def. No. 105 Clementina Riobueno: 6-4, 6-2
6. Deborah Suarez def. Schleich, Kristina: 6-4, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Steffi Wagner/Lina Lilekite def. Borthwick, Daneika/Cartwright, Kerrie : 8-4
2. Monique Albuquerque/ Clementina Riobueno def. Segarelli, Francesca/Schleich, Kristina : 8-2
3. Sargeant, Amy/Vriens, Mia vs. Brittany Dubins/Kelsey Laurente: unfinished.
Match Notes:
Florida State 8-1; National ranking #25
Miami- 6-3; National ranking #11
Order of finish: Doubles (3, 1); Singles (5, 3, 6, 2, 4, 1)
