No. 19 Tampa Rally Past No. 8 Saint Leo

Saint Leo, Fla- The No. 19 University of Tampa tennis team drove to St. Leo, Tuesday afternoon, in a Sunshine State Conference matchup. For the first time after 17 meets, the Spartans beat the Lions.

Final: No. 19 University of Tampa Spartans 4 , No. 8 Saint Leo Lions 3

Location: Saint Leo Tennis Center | Saint Leo, Fla.

Records: No. 19 University of Tampa Spartans (12-3, 6-3 SSC) , Saint Leo Lions (13-7, 4-4 SSC)

How it Happened: 

No. 19 Tampa got straight to business, with No. 37 Sanchez/Ball defeating No. 10 Lancellotti/Obermeier (SLU), 6-1. Then on Court 3, the doubles duo, Wilberg/Williams won their match against Keller/Martin (SLU), 6-2 to secure the first match point. | 1-0 (Tampa). However Court 2 match was still going on having Miletic/Cierniak vs Rabatin/Roca (SLU). Rabatin/Roca gave Miletic/Cierniak some trouble early on. However, the double duo remained on course and won, 7-5.

Onto singles, the Spartans started with a great pace Court 4 wrapped up quickly with, Kristina Miletic defeating Nicole Dufour (SLU) in straight sets to give Tampa a second point. | 2-0 (Tampa). The Lions, however, began to show more urgency in their play, where Claudia Borbón Roca (SLU) on Court 2 defeated Victoria Sánchez in straight sets to give San Leo its first point of the match. | 2-1 (Tampa). Following on Court 1, No. 62 Julie Ball defeated No. 18 Luzia Obermeier (SLU) in straight sets minutes after Court 2 finished to put the Spartans up by two. | 3-1 (Tampa). Saint Leo did however fight back on Courts 5 & 6. Both courts fought hard on the first set being 7-6 for the Lions, where they took advantage and could ended both matches in the second set. On Court 5, Camila Keller (SLU) defeated Nicole Casas 7-6(12), 6-3, and following on Court 6, Catherine Rabatin (SLU) got another point to the Lions by defeating Rebecca Presley 7-6(6), 6-3. | 3-3. With the score tied at three a piece, all eyes turned to Court 3, where No. 52 Lavinia Lancellotti (SLU) forced a third set after winning 7-5, against Savannah Williams. Williams, did however reverse the score, finishing the third set, 7-6(6), to give Tampa the victory. 

Singles Results:

1. No. 62 Julie Ball (UT) def. No. 18 Luzia Obermeier (SLU) 7-6 (7-1), 6-2
2. Claudia Borbon Roca (SLU) def. Victoria Sanchez (UT) 6-1, 6-4
3. Savannah Williams (UT) def. No. 52 Lavinia Lancellotti (SLU) 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (8-6)
4. Kristina Miletic (UT) def. Nicole Dufour (SLU) 6-1, 6-2
5. Camila Keller (SLU) def. Nicole Casas (UT) 7-6 (14-12), 6-3
6. Catherine Rabatin (SLU) def. Rebecca Presley (UT) 7-6 (8-6), 6-3

Doubles Results:

1. No. 37 Julie Ball/Victoria Sanchez (UT) def. No. 18 Lavinia Lancellotti/Luzia Obermeier (SLU) 6-1
2. Nicole Cierniak/Kristina Miletic (UT) def. Claudia Borbon Roca/Catherine Rabatin (SLU) 7-5
3. Anine Wilberg/Savannah Williams (UT) def. Camila Keller/Madelyn Martin (SLU) 6-2

Outside the Box: 

• Tampa finishes Saint Leo's 17 winning streak against the Spartans.
• First time in program history that Tampa beats two teams in the Top-10 in the same season.
• Ball wins her 10th singles match of the season.

UP NEXT: Tampa will play No. 35 Valdosta State Saturday, April 13th @10:00 A.M. in Valdosta, Ga.