DAVIE â€" Magda Riutort's 3-set victory at the top singles flight was the decisive point for Florida Southern Thursday, and Riutort and Sabine Goge combined for an equally important win at the number one doubles position too, as the 26th-ranked Moccasins defeated #21 Nova Southeastern, 5-4.
With the match tied 4-4, Riutort, won her eighth consecutive singles match to give Florida Southern (9-5, 2-4 Sunshine State Conference) its seventh straight win as a team. Four of those wins by Florida Southern have come against ranked opponents. Riutort, who is ranked #18 nationally in singles, won the first set of her match versus Alexandra Johansson 7-6 (7-4), before dropping the second one, 6-2. She turned that score around for a 6-2 win of her own in set number three.
Earlier in the 4½ hour match, Riutort and Goge had helped Florida Southern take a 2-1 lead after doubles play with an 8-3 victory over Austin Lavallii and Linda Kornienko. The Mocs also got an 8-3 win from Olivia Spagnuolo and Laura Wichmann.
In singles competition, the Sharks (6-9, 2-4) took two of the first three points to force a tie, with Wichmann winning for the Mocs, before Spagnuolo won a second-set tie-breaker to give the Moccasins their fourth point. Meanwhile, Sabrina Kierberg won a second-set tie-breaker for the Sharks at No. 2 singles, leaving the match tied with Riutort and Johansson still playing.
Florida Southern will return home for its next match on Wednesday, April 3, when it hosts Tampa at 3:00 p.m. It will be the Moccasins’ final home match of the season before they play their final five of the regular season on the road.
