NEW ORLEANS, La. (April 25, 2010) --- The FIU women's tennis team fell to the North Texas (17-6) Mean Green, 4-3, in the championship match of the 2010 Sun Belt Tournament on Sunday, April 25. With a 3-0 advantage in the match the Golden Panthers (14-8) could not hold off North Texas as the Mean Green rattled off four-straight points to earn the team's first-ever bid in the NCAA Tournament.
FIU won the first point of the contest, taking the doubles' portion of the match, as Priscilla Castillo and Liset Brito defeated Irina Paraschiv and Amy Joubert (8-3) and Christine Seredni and Mariana Muci defeated Barbora Vykydalova and Catalina Cruz (8-4). North Texas' Narine Kazarova and Madura Ranganathan downed Maria Jose Vallasciani and Maria Spenceley (8-0).
The Golden Panthers extended their lead to 3-0 after Castillo defeated Kazarova (6-0, 6-1) and Brito defeated Irina Ranganathan (6-1, 6-1). The Mean Green responded with four-straight singles victories to claim the match, 4-3. Paula Dinuta defeated Muci (7-5, 6-1), Vykydalova defeated Spencelely (6-3, 7-5) and Paraschiv defeated Seredni (6-1, 7-6 [5]). In the final match of the contest, Cruz defeated Vallasciani in a third-set, tie-break (6-1, 5-7, 7-6 [5]).
The loss snapped a four-match win streak for the Golden Panthers.
FIU will now look for an at-large bid into this year's NCAA Tournament. The Division I NCAA Tennis Selection Show will take place on Tuesday, May 4 on ESPNEWS.
Tennis Match Results
North Texas vs FIU Golden Panthers
Apr 25, 2010 at New Orleans, La.
North Texas 4, #49 FIU Golden Panthers 3
Singles competition
1. #90 Brito, Liset (FIU) def. Ranganathan, Madura (NT) 6-1, 6-1
2. Paraschiv, Irina (NT) def. Seredni, Christine (FIU) 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)
3. Dinuta, Paula (NT) def. Muci, Mariana (FIU) 7-5, 6-1
4. Vykydalova, Barbora (NT) def. Spenceley, Maria (FIU) 6-3, 7-5
5. Castillo, Priscilla (FIU) def. Kazarova, Narine (NT) 6-0, 6-1
6. Cruz, Catalina (NT) def. Vallasciani, Maria (FIU) 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (7-5)
Doubles competition
1. Castillo, Priscilla/Brito, Liset (FIU) def. Paraschiv, Irina/Joubert, Amy (NT) 8-3
2. Seredni, Christine/Muci, Mariana (FIU) def. Vykydalova, Barbora/Cruz, Catalina (NT) 8-4
3. Kazarova, Narine/Ranganathan, Madura (NT) def. Vallasciani, Maria/Spenceley, Maria (FIU) 8-0
Match Notes:
North Texas 17-6
FIU Golden Panthers 14-8; National ranking #49
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,1,3,4,2,6)
#1 FIU, #2 North Texas
SBC Championship
North Texas advances to NCAA tournament for first time.
2010 Sun Belt Championship
| Thursday, April 22 |
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| 9:00 a.m. |
Match 1 |
No. 12 South Alabama 4, No. 13 WKU 2 |
| 9:00 a.m. |
Match 2 |
No. 6 Louisiana 4, No. 11 New Orleans 0 |
| 9:00 a.m. |
Match 3 |
No. 7 Middle Tennessee 4, No. UALR 0 |
| 4:00 p.m. |
Match 4 |
No. 5 ULM 4, No. 12 South Alabama 0 |
| 4:00 p.m. |
Match 5 |
No. 9 Arkansas State 4, No. 8 Florida Atlantic 0 |
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| Friday, April 23 |
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| 9:00 a.m. |
Match 6 |
No. 6 Louisiana 4, No. 3 Denver 3 |
| 9:00 a.m. |
Match 7 |
No. 2 North Texas 4, No. 7 Middle Tennessee 0 |
| PPD - 8:00 p.m. |
Match 8 |
No. 5 ULM 4, No. 4 Troy 3 |
| PPD - 8:00 p.m. |
Match 9 |
No. 1 FIU 4, No. 9 Arkansas State 1 |
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| Saturday, April 24 |
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| 5:30 p.m. |
Match 10 |
No. 1 FIU 4, No. 5 ULM 3 |
| 5:30 p.m. |
Match 11 |
No. 2 North Texas 4, No. 6 Louisiana 2 |
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| Sunday, April 25 |
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| 1:00 p.m. |
Match 12 |
No. 2 North Texas 4, No. 1 FIU 3 |
