@OspreyWTEN Powers Past UNC Wilmington, 6-1

Friday, February 6

Jacksonville, Fla.

2:00 p.m.

University of North Florida

UNC Wilmington

2/6/2015 6:39:00 PM | Women's Tennis

By: North Florida Athletics

Boxscore

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – University of North Florida women's tennis began its season-opening weekend with a strong 6-1 victory over UNC Wilmington during a chilly and breezy day at the UNF Tennis Complex.

"Today, we started tentative and tight, but we ended the match trusting our tennis and competing well," said head coach Audra Cohen. "We have to start the way we ended this match if we want to have success again on Sunday."

UNF got a 1-0 lead after clinching doubles point. The Ospreys took an early advantage in the doubles competition with Quetzali Vazquez and Esther Zuniga cruising to a 6-2 triumph of Alix Theodossiou and Christin Kaupper at No. 3 doubles. Taylor Hollander and Marina Cunningham mounted a huge comeback on the No. 1 court in order to take the final doubles point for the Ospreys. Trailing 5-2, Hollander and Cunningham fought back for the five-straight points to defeat Annika Sillanppa and Christine Kharkevich 7-5.

The Ospreys won five of the six singles matches. Vazquez quickly outpowered Hamilton Lovett at No. 5 singles, winning in straight-sets 6-0, 6-0 to put UNF up 2-0. The Ospreys gained a three-point advantage after Marina Cunningham held on for a two-set 6-0, 7-5 No. 3 singles win over Kharkevich. Luise Intert captured the match-winning point at No. 6 singles with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Kaupper.

UNC Wilmington avoided the shutout as Sillanppa defeated Hollander 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 singles in order to make it a 4-1 match. Zuniga pushed the Ospreys' lead to five points after a 6-4, 6-2 triumph against Alyssa Ritchie at No. 2 singles. Michelle Valdez's three-set comeback on the No. 4 court capped the match. After falling to Theodossiou 6-4 in the first set, Valdez fought back to take the final two sets 6-4, 6-4.

UNF finishes home-opening weekend on Sunday against Troy at the UNF Tennis Complex at 11 a.m. Admission is free to all UNF women's tennis home matches.