Tampa, Fla. - The No. 45 University of South Florida women's tennis team (1-0) kicked off its 2006 season with a 6-1 victory over the Stetson Hatters (3-2) Saturday afternoon at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.

Due to the late scratch of senior Luisa Obando, the Bulls, started the match a point down forfeiting the No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles.

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The Bulls started off by taking both doubles matches played to knot the score up at 1-1. The nationally ranked doubles team (No. 5 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association) of Gabriela Duch and Neyssa Etienne easily defeated Mili Milovonovic and Marina Levin of Stetson, 8-0. Shortly after Liz Cruz and Iciri Rai clinched the doubles point with an 8-2, victory over Maja Miladinovic and Samantha Lange.

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In singles, USF dominated all five matches played to earn a 6-1 victory against the Hatters. First off the court was junior Duch who defeated Anna Leoenko, 6-0, 6-0 at the No. 4 singles position. On the afternoon, Duch did not drop a point in either her singles or doubles match.

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Stetson is in action again Saturday, Feb. 4, when it travels to Miami to face Florida International at 12 p.m.

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USF 6, Stetson 1

Doubles

1. No. 5 Etienne/Duch (USF) def. Milovonovic/Levin (Stetson) 8-0

2. Cruz/Rai (USF) def. Miladinovic/Lange (Stetson) 8-2

3. Default, Stetson Victory

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Singles

1. Neyssa Etienne (USF) def. Mili Milovonovic (Stetson) 6-0, 6-2

2. Courtney Vernon (USF) def. Maja Miladinovic (Stetson) 6-0, 6-2

3. No. 96 Liz Cruz (USF) def. Marina Levin (Stetson) 6-2, 6-3

4. Gabriela Duch (USF) def. Anna Leoenko (Stetson) 6-0, 6-0

5. Iciri Rai (USF) def. Catherine Canady, 6-1, 6-1

6. Default, Stetson Victory