March 21, 2009
Final Stats
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Mercedes Cobos returned to the winning side of the ledger and Agatha Palider won her fourth-straight match in the Owls 5-2 loss to North Florida on Friday afternoon.
Cobos cruised to a 6-2 first set win and was up 1-0 when her opponent had to withdraw due to an injury. The win moved the Owls (5-7, 1-1) lone senior to 3-6 on the season. Palider moved her record to 8-1 with a 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 win after moving into the No. 4 spot.
"Well, we said we needed to learn how to win in the middle of the lineup, and I guess you sometimes should be careful what you wish for," said Kennesaw State Head Coacb Brandon Padgett. "Mercedes was playing her best match of the season when her opponent retired, and Agatha continued to perform like a whole new player this season."
UNF (10-2, 5-0) dominated the doubles portion, winning all three matches to take a 1-0 lead. Singles wasn't much better as the remainder of the Owls squad fell in straight sets. Vera Shkundina and MacKenzie Swindall each had winning streaks broken. Shkundina lost 6-1, 6-0 at No. 1 and Swindall was defeated 6-3, 6-2 at No. 6.
"Vera made no adjustment to the conditions and failed to be competitive in singles," added Padgett. "UNF is a very good team, but we should have been more competitive in doubles. We'll be looking at our combinations once again and making the necessary adjustments to be competitive."
The adjustments will have to made in a hurry as the Owls will stay in town for a 10 a.m. Saturday showdown at conference foe Jacksonville.
UNF 5, KSU 2
Doubles Results
1) Castro/Berkenbrock (UNF) d. Tanaka/Shkundina (KSU) 8-5
2) Durcakova/Van Lierop (UNF) d. Swindall/Palider (KSU) 8-4
3) Holton/Krook (UNF) d. Cobos/Dillon (KSU) 8-3
Singles Results
1) Berkenbrock (UNF) d. Vera Shkundina (KSU) 6-1, 6-0
2) Castro (UNF) d. Ayano Tanaka (KSU) 6-2, 6-0
3) Mercedes Cobos (KSU) d. Durcakova (UNF) 6-2, 1-0 inj. ret.
4) Agatha Palider (KSU) d. Van Lierop (UNF) 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
5) Holton (UNF) d. Morgan Carney (KSU) 6-2, 6-3
6) Krook (UNF) d. MacKenzie Swindall (KSU) 6-3, 6-2
