TAMPA – Barry University, ranked number six in the latest ITA National Rankings, eliminated Florida Southern by a 5-0 score in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Sunshine State Conference Women's Tennis Championship here Thursday at the Hillsborough Community College Tennis Complex. Barry advances to play top-seeded Saint Leo in the semifinals tomorrow at 9 a.m.
Florida Southern falls to 12-9 on the season and awaits the announcement of the NCAA postseason bids on May 3. The Moccasins were ranked eighth in the latest NCAA Division II South Regional Rankings released yesterday that used to determine the six post season berths from the South Region.
Barry grabbed a 3-0 lead in the quarterfinal match after sweeping the doubles competition. The Buccaneers' number three doubles team of Zuza Maciejewska and Judith Bohnenkam defeated the Moccasins' duo of Miroslava Mensikova and Natalija Popovic, 8-1, while Barry's number two team of Ana Pain and Emma Onila downed Florida Southern's Sasha Nionova and Lorena Rionda, 8-5. The Buccaneers completed the sweep as their number one team of Sonja Larsen and Barbora Kijasova posted a 8-6 win over FSC's Selin Devrimci and Linnea Skymberg at number one.
The Buccaneers inched close to the match victory as Alisa Rudenko defeated Carolyn Cureton by a 6-0, 6-0, score at number six singles to lift Barry to a 4-0 advantage. Larsen, the 45th ranked singles player in the ITA National Rankings, clinched the win for Barry with a 6-1, 6-4, win over Lorena Rionda at number three singles.
In tournament play, once a team wins five points, the match ends at that point and any singles competitions still in progress, are not finished.
_____________________________
2016 SUNSHINE STATE CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
Hillsborough Community College - Tampa, FL
Thursday, April 28
9:00 am – #4 Barry def. Florida Southern, 5-0
9:00 am – #3 Lynn def #6 Rollins, 5-0
Friday, April 29
9:00 am– #1 Saint Leo (20-1) vs. #4 Barry (16-2) - LIVE STATS
9:00 am – #2 Nova Southeastern (15-3) vs. #3 Lynn (19-3) - LIVE STATS
Saturday, April 30
9:00 am – Championship Match - LIVE STATS
