JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - With the match tied at 3-3, the outcome came down to the result at number six singles, although South Alabama's Patricia Martins outlasted Constanza Gorches in three sets as the visiting Jaguars (9-0) stayed undefeated with a 4-3 win at the UNF Tennis Complex Sunday, Feb. 17.

UNF took doubles against No. 24 Florida on Saturday, and a day later they did it again, going up 1-0. Lucia Montano and Florencia Rossi won 6-4 before South Alabama evened it up with a 6-4 win at the number two slot. Rafaela Gomez and Gorches won the decisive doubles match, downing Patricia Martins and Milka Pasanen, 6-4.

Montano answered the call in her first match of the season at number one singles, putting UNF up 2-0 with a clean 6-1, 6-3 win against Alexandria Stiteler. Things got interesting as the Jaguars tied up the match with wins at slots five and two.

Battles ensued on courts three and four. Nikola Kohoutova outlasted Ana Paula Melilo, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, although sophomore Valentina Mariotto erased a one-set deficit by winning back-to-back 6-0 sets, tying the match at 3-3.

The decisive match at six singles was 4-4 in the third set before Martins slipped away with the clincher.

Cobra's Comments:
"Today's match was a tough one to lose, but I think that the girls really battled. We came out strong in doubles again, but ultimately it came down to the wire and we were just short. I'm proud of how Cons [Constanza Gorches] competed, I'm proud of how we competed and I'm excited to see how we grow from this and respond the next time we are in this type of match." -- Head coach Mariana Cobra.

Up Next:
UNF plays two at home Tuesday, Feb. 19, when it hosts Flagler and Savannah State.

Notes:

• South Alabama is now 10-2 against the Ospreys in series history. The Jaguars won the last meeting, another 4-3 decision March 12, 2016 at the UNF Tennis Complex.

 
Singles
1. Lucia Montano (UNF) def. Alexandria Stiteler (SA) 6-1, 6-3
2. Yu Fujioka (SA) def. Rafaela Gomez (UNF) 6-4, 7-5
3. Valentina Mariotto def. Leslie Soto (SA) 4-6, 6-0, 6-0
4. Nikola Kohoutova (SA) def. Ana Paula Melilo (UNF) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
5. Milka Pasanen (SA) def. Florencia Rossi (UNF) 6-2, 6-3
6. Patricia Martins (SA) def. Constanza Gorches (UNF) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4

Doubles
1. Gomez/Gorches (UNF) def. Martins/Milka (SA) 6-4
2. Fujioka/Takanishi (SA) def. Mariotto/Melilo (UNF) 6-4
3. Montano/Rossi (UNF) def. Stiteler/Kohoutova (SA) 6-4

Order of finish: Doubles (3, 2, 1); Singles (1, 5, 2, 4, 3, 6)
T: 3:10
A: 44