TAMPA, Fla. – The Wichita State women's tennis team dropped a 4-1 decision to USF Friday at the Varsity Tennis Courts on the campus of South Florida.
 
HEAD COACH COLIN FOSTER
"We've found a way to win some of those close doubles points this year, today it just wasn't meant to be in that area. In singles, we fought hard but in the end they were just good. Sarvinoz (Saidhujaeva) continues to play with a lot of confidence, belief, and energy. I thought on the other courts USF brough that energy and belief to the big points just a bit more than us and fed off of being at home. In the end, they just outplayed us and deserved the win."
 
DOUBLES
The Bulls and Shockers doubles matches came down to the wire in the first and second flights, as USF claimed the doubles point to take an early advantage. Janvhi Clark and Laura Pellicer Perello jumped out to a 5-0 lead over Ting-Ya Hsu and LingWei Kong in the third flight and went on to win, 6-2. The first two flight came down to the wire, as No. 46 Fatima Bizhukova and Marta Bellucco stayed close with Nicole Dzenga and Vanja Klaric in the top flight. The USF duo trailed 5-4 before winning three-straight games to take the point. Esther Thebault and Sarvinoz Saidhujaeva came through with a huge rally in the second flight, where they took on Amelie Boy and Ana Roman Dominguez. The Shocker duo trailed 4-1 and came back to take a 5-4 lead. The match was tied at six before play was suspended.
 
SINGLES
USF jumped out to a 3-0 lead with wins on court two and four, respectively. In flight two, Thebault fell to Klaric, who came into the match with a 7-4 record in straight sets (6-2, 6-1). Pellicer Perello followed in the fourth flight with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Bellucco.
 
Saidhujaeva jumped up to the No. 3 slot for the Shockers, where she took on Amelie Boy. The junior dropped Boy, who is 8-5 on the season in singles play, in straight sets (6-2, 6-4) to give the Shockers their only point of the match.
 
USF clinched the match on court five, where Dzenga defeated Hsu, 7-6, 6-3. Sandra Honigova made her way back to the top spot, where she was up a set (6-4) and trailed 5-3 in the second to No. 43 Ana Roman Dominguez before play was suspended. Sophomore Alexandra Lazarova took on Alexandria Mjos in the sixth slot, where she won 7-5 in the first set and was tied at four in the second before going unfinished.
 
The Shockers make the trip to Orlando to take on No. 28 UCF Sunday. The match is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the USTA National Campus.
 

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USF 4, Wichita State 1
 
Singles Results
1. Sandra Honigova (WSU) vs. #43 Ana Roman Dominguez (USF), 6-4, 3-5, uf.
2. Vanja Klaric (USF) def. Esther Thebault (WSU), 6-2, 6-1
3. Sarvinoz Saidhujaeva (WSU) def. Amelie Boy (USF), 6-2, 6-4
4. Laura Pellicer Perello (USF) def. Marta Bellucco (WSU), 6-3, 6-2
5. Nicole Dzenga (USF) def. Ting-Ya Hsu (WSU), 7-6, 6-3
6. Alexandra Lazarova (WSU) vs. Alexandria Mjos (USF), 7-5, 4-4, uf.
 
Doubles Results
1. Nicole Dzenga/Vanja Klaric (USF) def. #46 Fatima Bizhukova/Marta Bellucco (WSU), 7-5
2. Esther Thebault/Sarvinoz Saidhujaeva (WSU) vs. Amelie Boy/Ana Roman Dominguez (USF), 6-6
3. Janvhi Clark/Laura Pellicer Perello (USF) def. LingWei Kong/Ting-Ya Hsu (WSU), 6-2