UNT Tennis Defeats South Alabama
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DENTON, Texas – The 60th-ranked Mean Green tennis team won its second Sun Belt match of the year Friday, defeating South Alabama 5-2 at the Waranch Tennis Complex.
After switching up the doubles line-up for the first time this spring, North Texas (7-4) began the match by completing a sweep if the Jaguars (4-3) in doubles.
“We started slow in doubles, but picked up our intensity and pulled through,” said associate head coach Jeff Maren. “We used that intensity to build momentum early in the singles and it proved to be the difference against a good South Alabama team.”
Senior Irina Paraschiv teamed up with freshman Franziska Sprinkmeyer for the first Mean Green victory when they defeated the Jaguars Mary Angela Martin and Ramona Ghermani on court three, 8-6.
Nadia Lee and Barbora Vykydalova clinched the doubles point soon after, taking a dominating, 8-4, win on court one before Kseniya Bardabush and Valentina Starkova completed the sweep with a 9-7 vicotry on court two.
The doubles sweep was the first for North Texas since Jan. 28 when the Mean Green swept Oral Roberts en route to a 6-1 victory.
Singles saw several quick matches in favor of North Texas with Lee dispatching Hines in less than an hour at the No. 2 singles slot, 6-1, 6-0.
Reigning Sun Belt Athlete of the Week Ilona Serchenko added to the Mean green lead when she ran over Mariya Krachok on court four, 6-1, 6-2.
Bardabush and Starkova went on to win their matches in straight sets, giving NT a 5-0 lead before the Mean Green dropped both the five and six slot singles.
The No. 60 Mean Green will be back in action on Sunday at 11 a.m. when the defending Sun Belt Champions FIU Golden Panthers come to Waranch Tennis Complex. As always, admission to North Texas tennis matches is free of charge.
