Initial spark fades in Lady Osprey loss

Monday, March 30

Spartanburg, S.C.

2 p.m.

University of North Florida

USC-Upstate

Durcakova (left) and van Lierop improved to 14-2 in doubles

3/30/2009 9:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis

UNF dropped its third 4-3 decision of the season

By: Adam Jonson, UNF Athletics

Box Score

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In its most tightly contested match of the season, the University of North Florida women's tennis team watched the third-set of a match-deciding No. 6 singles contest go the way of USC Upstate, and the Lady Ospreys dropped a 4-3 Atlantic Sun Conference decision after grabbing the doubles point Monday afternoon.

"We put ourselves in a good position by winning the doubles point and had several opportunities to win the match," UNF head coach Rodrigo Puebla said. "The bottom three of our lineup lost for the first time this season, and that proved to be the deciding factor."

UNF's (12-4, 6-2 A-Sun) sophomore Victoria Krook entered the third set of the final match to be decided coming off a 6-4 opening-set loss and a 6-2 second-set win. Ana-Sofia Camberos quickly gained a 2-0 lead in the final set, but Krook hung around to trail 3-2 after five games. Camberos closed out the set and the match by taking the next four games to keep the Lady Spartans perfect in league play (7-0) and push her team to 12-2 on the season.

Upstate secured straight-set decisions in the Nos. 1, 4 and 5 singles positions. Junior Raquel Castro and freshman Nikita van Lierop rolled to two-set wins in the second and third slots, respectively.

The Lady Ospreys swept the doubles point for the 11^th time this season to hold the early edge. The most pressing result the Lady Spartans could manage was in the No. 3 position, but UNF's nationally-ranked No. 64 sophomore pair Lauren Holton and Victoria Krook pulled out the 8-5 win.

Returning to courts where it is perfect this season, UNF will come home from a four-day road stint to host Campbell in A-Sun play Friday before closing its home slate with a matchup against UCF Saturday.