May 13, 2000

GAINESVILLE, FL. - The 22nd-ranked Florida State Lady Seminoles lost a hard-fought match to the fourth-ranked Florida Gators in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday. The one and a half hour match was three hours shorter than FSU's first round win a day earlier. FSU's season ends with a record of 17-9 while Florida advances to play in the round of 16 in Malibu, California. Florida improved to 23-2 on the season with the 5-0 win.

The match was a lot closer than the 5-0 score indicated as eight of the 11 sets that were completed were by scores of 6-3 or closer. FSU was leading at one point in four of the six singles matches before falling to the Gators for the second time this season. On February 9th, the Lady Seminoles fell to the Gators 5-1 in Gainesville.

The Lady Seminoles fell behind 1-0 after Florida's Jessica Lehnhoff, the country's 30th-ranked player, defeated FSU's Nanette Duxin on court No. 2. Duxin had dropped the first set without winning a game but battled back to a 4-4 score in the second set before losing 6-4. At No. 5, FSU's Marina Raic lost to Florida's Traci Green to make the score 2-0 in favor of Florida. Raic was attempting to overcome an injured foot against the nation's 53rd-ranked player, but could not and fell 6-3, 6-2.

On court No. 1, Florida State's Alida Gallovits, ranked No. 48 in the country, lost to Florida's Whitney Laiho, 6-3, 6-3 to make the score 3-0. Gallovits survived two match points before succumbing to the eighth-ranked player in the nation. Minutes after Laiho's win, FSU's Jessica Balbuena fell to Florida's 36th-ranked player in the country Baili Camino 6-3, 7-5. Balbuena survived a match point while breaking Camino to even the second set at 5-5.

With the score 4-0 Florida, FSU was left with its two seniors fighting to keep the match and their distinguished careers alive. Florida State's Kia Asberg and Ali Weber, who have combined won over 180 career singles matches while at FSU, were trailing in their matches. Asberg had lost a tight, first set tiebreaker 7-5 and was down 2-1 in the second set. Weber had lost the first set 6-2 but was winning the second set 4-3. Florida's Julia Scaringe came-from-behind in the second set to defeat Weber and the Lady Seminoles 6-2, 6-4.

The 2000 Florida State women's tennis team advanced further in the NCAA Tournament than any other squad in Lady Seminole history. FSU's 17 wins tied for the sixth most in history and Weber capped off her career with her fourth consecutive 20 win year and Asberg leaves FSU with the second (30) and third (29) winningest seasons in Lady Seminole history.

No. 4 Florida 5, No. 22 Florida State 0

SINGLES
No. 1 #8 Whitney Laiho (UF) d. #48 Alida Gallovits (FSU) 6-3, 6-3
No. 2 #30 Jessica Lehnhoff (UF) d. Nanette Duxin (FSU) 6-0, 6-4
No. 3 #58 Stephanie Hazlett (UF) vs. Kia Asberg (FSU) 7-6(5), 4-1, suspended
No. 4 #36 Baili Camino (UF) d. Jessica Balbuena (FSU) 6-3, 7-5
No. 5 Traci Green (UF) d. Marina Raic (FSU) 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 Julia Scaringe (UF) d. Ali Weber (FSU) 6-2, 6-4

DOUBLES
No. 1 DNP
No. 2 DNP
No. 3 DNP