Panthers Successfully Open Miami Invite

Friday, September 23

Coral Gables, Fla.

All Day

Pitt

Miami Fall Invite

Panthers Successfully Open Miami Invite

9/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

Sept. 23, 2016

Day One Results
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - The Pitt women's tennis team opened its fall slate Friday morning at the Miami Fall Invite at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center. The Panthers faced FAU in singles and FIU in doubles, however three singles matches were left unfinished due to weather.

"I was happy with the way we started out the day in doubles," head coach Alex Santos said. "Amber [Washington] and Callie [Frey] got the lead and ran with it, Gabi [Rezende] and Jovana [Knezevic], in their first collegiate match together showed some great resilience and found a way to succeed, and Audrey Ann [Blakely] and Lolade [Ogungbesan] played some amazing tennis at times. In singles, I loved seeing Amber fighting some initial nerves to finish strong, Audrey Ann playing disciplined tennis, and Gabi's improvement. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate and we couldn't finish some of the matches but I am definitely looking forward to tomorrow."

In her first collegiate appearance, freshman Jovana Knezevic paired with sophomore Gabriela Rezende outlasted their FIU opponents Mina Markovic and Maryna Veksler, 7-6 (3). Pitt's other doubles win came from the experienced duo of junior Callie Frey and redshirt senior Amber Washington, who defeated Nerma Caluk and Ulyana Grib, 6-2. Seniors Audrey Ann Blakely and Lolade Ogungbesan suffered the lone doubles loss of the day as they were unable to hold off Andrea Lazaro and Nina Nagode, 6-4.

In singles action, Washington defeated Naiya Oden of FAU in three sets after falling 6-1 in the first. She bounced back to take the final two 6-1, 6-3. Blakely, Pitt's ranked singles player at No. 122, defeated Lyndsey Boos in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0. Rezende continued her consistent play from the spring and defeated Bianca Biglion, 6-4, 6-4. Ogungbesan fell 6-4, 6-4 to Marisa Ruriz, while Knezevic was down 6-1, 5-4, to Alisa Rudenko, before having to retire.

Play was halted at 1:07 p.m. due to lightning in the area and play was suspended 40 minutes later. Six singles matches remained unfinished, three of which were Panthers:

Callie Frey (UP) vs. Laura Fabrizi (FAU), 6-3
Natsumi Okamoto (UP) vs. Heather Walton (FAU), no score
Clara Lucas (UP) vs. Ana Gutierrez (FAU), no score
The abandoned singles matches will resume at 8:30 a.m., with doubles set to begin at 10 a.m., followed by the regular scheduled singles for the day. Pitt will face FAU in doubles and Miami in singles Saturday.

Doubles
Andrea Lazaro/Nina Nagode (FIU) def. Audrey Ann Blakely/Lolade Ogungbesan (Pittsburgh) 6-4
Jovana Knezevic/Gabriela Rezende (Pittsburgh) def. Mina Markovic/Maryna Veksler (FIU) 7-6 (7-3)
Callie Frey/Amber Washington (Pittsburgh) def. Nerma Caluk/Ulyana Grib (FIU) 6-2

Singles
Amber Washington (Pittsburgh) def. Naiya Oden (Florida Atlantic) 1-6, 6-1, 6-3
#122 Audrey Ann Blakely (Pittsburgh) def. Lyndsey Boos (Florida Atlantic) 6-3, 6-0
Gabriela Rezende (Pittsburgh) def. Bianca Biglione (Florida Atlantic) 6-4, 6-4
Marisa Ruiz (Florida Atlantic) def. Lolade Ogungbesan (Pittsburgh) 6-4, 6-4
Alisa Rudenko (Florida Atlantic) def. Jovana Knezevic (Pittsburgh) 6-1, 5-4, retired

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