March 30, 2009

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - It is a whole new season for the USC Upstate women's tennis team. One year after winning the Atlantic Sun Conference regular season, the Spartans found themselves in one of their most intense matches since entering Division I on Monday afternoon against conference foe North Florida. This time, it was freshman Ana-Sofia Camberos, just three months removed from entering Upstate, who won the dramatic seventh point in three sets to lead the Spartans to their 18th straight A-Sun win in 4-3 fashion.

Upstate (12-2 overall, 7-0 A-Sun) found themselves in their tightest match since moving to Division I against the Lady Ospreys (12-4 overall, 6-2 A-Sun), who won five of the nine matches thanks to sweeping the doubles point.

The Spartans took their first lead by winning the first two singles matches, as seniors Daniela Lovera and Anna Novo showed their leadership by posting quick two-set wins. Lovera notched a 6-1, 6-0 win over Ina Durcakova at No. 4 and Novo added a 6-4, 6-2 win over Aline Birkenbrock at No. 1.

The Spartans split the next two decisions with UNF, as they fell in the No. 2 match before freshman Cinthya Lazaro beat Lauren Holton, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 5 making it 3-2. A loss at No. 3 tied the score at three each and set up the final match.

Camberos won the first set, 6-4, but lost four straight games at the end of the second set to fall, 6-2, and even the match. In the third set, Camberos broke Victoria Krook's serve and then used a strong serve to take a 2-0 lead. Krook, a sophomore, kept the match close, splitting two of the next three games to make it 3-2, but Camberos once again broke the Swede's serve thanks to a consistent, plodding ground game, taking her time before getting winners, and won the final two matches to win the set, 6-2.

The Spartans get back in action on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. when they head to FGCU for an A-Sun match.