Keiser Prevails Against No. 17 Tampa in Last Match of Regular Season

TAMPA, Fla. - The No. 17 University of Tampa tennis team hosted their last match of the regular season against Keiser University, Tuesday afternoon. 

Final: Keiser University Seahawks 4 , No. 17 University of Tampa Spartans 3

Location: Naimoli & Young Family Tennis Complex | Tampa, Fla.

Records: Keiser University Seahawks (17-1) , No. 17 University of Tampa Spartans (10-7)

How it Happened: 

Doubles began with Topalovic/Harrelson on Court 3, No. 47 Wilberg/Williams on Court 2, and No. 8 Amaro/Sanchez on the main court. Topalovic looking to get her 10th doubles win of the season, was partnered up with Tatiana Harrelson for the third time this season (1-1). The duo went up against Lavender/Schmucker (KU) who shut out them out to gain the lead. Onto the main court, No. 8 Amaro/Sanchez faced off against Perez-Flores/Vidanovic. Amaro-Veloso & Perez-Flores are both Venezualan natives who dueled against one another. But it would be No. 8 Amaro/Sanchez to get the victory to tie the doubles score. That left Court 2 remaining, where No. 47 Wilberg/Williams were one game away from putting away Kieser's Apisah/Ksenjia (5-4). However, Apisah/Vujacic forced a win-by-two after leveling the games at five. Then, Wilberg/Williams regrouped and finished off their opponents winning back-to-back games (7-5) to secure the very first point in the match.

Onto singles where seniors, Savannah Williams played on Court 2, Aleks Topalovic played on Court 3, and Tatiana Harrelson played on Court 6. All three seniors were honored for "Senior Day" prior to the match starting. However, Keiser made a comeback during singles starting off with Perez-Flores defeating Harrelson to tie the score at one. While that match concluded, No. 14 Raquel Amaro snagged a victory against Violet Apisah (KU) shutting her out in the second set; the Spartans now regained the lead (2-1). Keiser leveled the score with Yvette Schmucker defeating Anine Wilberg in straight sets (2-2). After being shut out in the first set senior, Williams tried to rally back on Court 2 against Elyse Lavender, but could execute the objective, resulting in Keiser nearing match point (3-2). With only one more match for Keiser to close it out, Vanja Vidanovic executed for her team, defeating freshman, Rebecca Presley in straight sets (4-3). Aleks Topalovic did win her match in straight sets, despite a tiebreaker for which she perservered (4-3). 

Singles Results:

1. No. 14 Raquel Amaro Veloso (UT) def. Violet Apisah (KU) : 6-3, 6-0
2. Elyse Lavender (KU) def. Savannah Williams (UT): 6-0, 6-2
3. Aleks Topalovic (UT) def. Ksenjia Vujacic (KU): 7-6 (7/3), 6-3   
4. Yvette Schmucker (KU) def. Anine Wilberg (UT): 6-3, 6-1
5. Vanja Vidanovic (KU) def. Rebecca Presley (UT): 6-3, 6-2
6. Isabella Perez-Flores (KU) def.Tatiana Harrelson (UT): 6-2, 6-0

Doubles Results:

1. No. 8 Amaro/Sanchez (UT) def. Perez-Flores/Vidanovic (KU): 6-3
2. No. 47 Wilberg/Williams (UT) def. Apisah/Vujacic: 7-5
3. Lavender/Schmucker (KU) def. Topalovic/Harrelson (UT): 6-0

Outside the Box: 

• No. 47 Wilberg/Williams finish reg. season: 14-3 with a six-match winning streak
• Keiser win their 12th straight match
• Spartans have lost four-consecutive matches heading into SSC playoffs

UP NEXT: Tampa will verse Lynn University Thursday, April 20th @2:00 p.m. in Bradenton, Fla.