Florida defeated Florida International on Saturday and will matchup with Florida State on Sunday.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida women’s tennis defeated Florida International, 4-1, on Saturday afternoon to advance to the regional finale against No. 18 Florida State on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. A spot to the Indoor National Championships will be on the line.
The Gators (3-0, 0-0 SEC) were well on their way to the doubles point early in the match with the freshman duo of Alicia Dudeney and Bente Spee making quick work of FIU’s (0-1, 0-0 CUSA) Ines Bekrar and Yasmine Kabbaj, 6-1, at the two doubles slot. The number one doubles team of Marlee Zein and Carly Briggs secured the doubles point, pulling away from Kamila Umarova and Andjela Skrobonja late for a 6-4 victory.
After claiming the doubles point, Dudeney quickly defeated Skrobonja in the three singles match: 6-3, 6-0, to advance the Gator lead to 2-0. Following the recipe from the three singles match, South Carolina transfer No. 87 Emma Shelton downed Velcea in the four singles spot: 6-3, 6-0, to give UF some breathing room at 3-0.
The Panthers picked up their lone point of the match, keeping their hope alive, at two singles as Kabbaj overtook No. 34 Zein: 6-4, 6-1, to close the gap to 3-1. Continuing her strong start to the dual season, freshman Spee clinched the match for the Orange & Blue, pulling away from Bekrar in the second set: 6-4, 6-1, to secure the 4-1 victory.
All eyes move forward to Sunday for the Gators, as they will matchup with host No. 18 Florida State at 2 p.m. ET for a spot to the Indoor National Championships.
SINGLES
McCartney Kessler vs. Umarova: 2-6, 3-4, unf.
Kabbaj def. No. 34 Marlee Zein: 6-4, 6-1
Alicia Dudeney def. Skrobonja: 6-3, 6-0
No. 87 Emma Shelton def. Velcea: 6-3, 6-0
Bente Spee def. Bekrar: 6-4, 6-1
Sydney Berlin vs. Akbas: 6-3, 5-2, unf.
DOUBLES
No. 24 Briggs/Zein def. Umarova/Skrobonja: 6-4
No. 46 Dudeney/Spee def. Bekrar/Kabbaj: 6-1
Kessler/Shelton vs. Miletic/Velcea: 5-4, unf.
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