March 10, 2014
TAMPA, Fla. - The Nittany Lions (4-8, 0-1 Big Ten) were unable to upset No. 62 South Florida (11-3, 1-0 AAC) on the road Monday afternoon, falling 6-1. Katia Blik (Moscow, Russia) earned the Nittany Lions' lone point with her comeback effort at No. 2 singles, winning 5-7, 7-5, 10-7.
The Nittany Lions fell behind early after South Florida was able to clinch the doubles point with wins at the No. 1 and 2 matches. Marie-Frederique Bedard (Montreal, Canada) and Dasha Sapogova (Minsk, Belarus) were upended by Loreto Alonso-Martinez and Kayla Rizzolo 8-2.
Olaya Garrido-Rivas and Fanny Fracassi took six of the final seven games at the No. 2 singles match knock off Carmen Sandor (Toronto, Canada) and Katherine Whiteaway (Sawbridgeworth, England), 8-2 and put the Bulls ahead 1-0 in the match. The match at No. 3 went unfinished with Vera Bessonova and Olga Martinez leading Katia Blik (Moscow, Russia) and Taylor Shukow (Boca Raton, Fla.), 6-2.
The Bulls increased their lead to 2-0 after Olaya Garrido-Rivas earned a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Sandor at No. 3 singles. At the No. 6 singles match, Shukow put up a fight in the second set but couldn't pull off the comeback, allowing Martinez to obtain the 6-0, 6-4 victory.
South Florida clinched their eighth victory in row when Fracassi topped Bedard at No. 4 singles, 6-4, 6-2. At No. 1 singles, Sapogova battled back to even the match at one set each with her 6-2 second set triumph. She was unable to come away with the victory in her first match playing No. 1 singles, falling to Alonso-Martinez, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.
Blik's come-from-behind win at the No. 2 spot allowed the Nittany Lions to close the match out on a high note heading into tomorrow's meeting with Southern Methodist University. The win came in her first time playing at No. 2, having played every previous singles match at No. 1.
Tomorrow's match with the Mustangs is set for noon at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.
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