FIT Downs Merrimack In Women’s Tennis

By  //  March 29, 2013

Panthers Face Lynn In Boca Raton On Friday

BREVARD COUNTY • SATELLITE BEACH, FLORIDA – No. 20 Florida Tech slipped four spots in the recent women’s Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings, but the Panthers were not fazed in their final non-conference match against Merrimack on Wednesday.

FIT junior Kristina Huba is ranked No .5 in Division II and No. 2 in the South Region in women’s tennis. (Image courtesy of Florida Tech)

Florida Tech swept the Warriors for its sixth 9-0 decision of the season at the Desoto Courts in Satellite Beach.

The South Region’s No. 6 duo, junior Kristina Huba and senior Stephanie Dohner, improved their record to 16-3 with an 8-1 decision over Shakee Messina and Katie Veasey. The junior-senior pairing has won nine of their last 10 matches.

Freshman Charlotte Fahnehjelm and senior Abbey Keister earned an 8-3 decision over Kara Hole and Mollie Fitzgerald at No. 2 doubles to improve to 9-5 on the season.

Freshman Chloe Chanley and sophomore Katie Close won their fourth match at No. 3 doubles to improve to 4-1 at the three spot. Chanley and Close defeated Alyx Barnes and Rachel Muller, 8-1.

Huba, who now ranks No .5 in Division II and No. 2 in the South Region, won her 17th singles match of the season with a 6-0, 6-1 decision over Messina. Huba is now 17-2 on the season and has won nine of her last 10 decisions.

Dohner collected her seventh victory at No. 2 singles with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Hole. Chanley followed at No. 3 singles with her 10th victory to improve to 10-5 on the season. The freshman defeated Muller, 6-0, 6-1.

Close and Fahnehjelm both earned straight-set sweeps over their opponents. Close defeated Fitzgerald, 6-0, 6-0, in No. 4 singles action to improve to 9-5 on the season. Fahnehjelm took the No. 5 singles match, 6-0, 6-0, over Barnes to improve her singles record to 13-5. It was the second straight-set sweep for each player this season.

Keister capped the match with a 6-2, 6-1 decision over Veasey in No. 6 singles action. Keister also collected her 10th win of the season to improve to 10-5. Four Panthers now have recorded double-digit win totals in singles play this season.

The Panthers (14-5) will now step back into Sunshine State Conference action when they travel to Boca Raton on Friday, March 29 to take on No. 8 Lynn University. The match is set to begin at 2 p.m.