University of Florida freshman Olivia Janowicz (Palm Bay, Fla.) dropped a straight set decision to Southern California’s third-ranked Maria Sanchez in the championship singles match of the Freeman Memorial held at the Fertitta Tennis Complex on the campus of UNLV on Sunday.
The rookie Gator fell to the accomplished Woman of Troy, 6-3, 6-0, but did pair with fellow newcomer and roommate Alex Cercone (Seminole, Fla.) in doubles action, where the tandem earned an impressive 8-2 victory in open action against Stanford’s Carolyn McVeigh and Stacey Tan.
UF junior Joanna Mather (Duluth, Ga.) earned a 6-2, 6-2 victory against Arizona State’s Micaela Hein in open singles matches, while Cercone dropped a 7-5, 6-4 decision to Arizona State’s Kelcy McKenna.
Mather also teamed with sophomore Lauren Embree (Marco Island, Fla.) and lost a tough 8-6 outcome to North Carolina’s eighth-ranked Shinann Featherston and Lauren McHale.
The Freeman Memorial is the final individual event scheduled for Florida prior to the season-ending NCAA Championships in May. The Gators now turn their focus entirely to dual match play and return to the court on Wed., January 19, when the team plays host to the U.S. Junior National Team beginning at 4 p.m. at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex, where admission to all regular-season matches is free.
