'Cuse Rallies To Upset #25 Florida State

Friday, March 7

Syracuse, NY

2 pm

Syracuse University

Florida State

3/7/2014 10:40:00 PM | Tennis

Maddie Kobelt Improves To 7-2 Overall Since Beginning ACC Play

Box Score | Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — In a thrilling finish, Syracuse tennis upset No. 25 Florida State, 4-3, on Friday, March 7, at Drumlins.

With the win, the Orange (2-8, 2-3 ACC) has won two of its last three contests overall. Despite losing the doubles point to Florida State (8-5, 3-2 ACC), SU bounced back to win 4-of-6 matches in singles play to come out on top.

"It was definitely a team effort today," interim head coach Shelly George said. "We lost the doubles point, but we were right in there and I think we let Florida State know, at that point, that they were in for a fight. When we broke and we came back out, we talked about the singles matches, we were just telling the girls 'go out and own the court, this is our home, this is our house, go on the court and go win.'"

Senior co-captain Maddie Kobelt and freshman Valeria Salazar won the first doubles match, 8-5, defeating Karrie Cartwright and Daneika Borthwick on court one. The Kobelt/Salazar duo is now 3-1 since beginning the Atlantic Coast Conference schedule. The Seminoles triumphed over the other two doubles matchups, winning 8-6 in both and ultimately recording a 1-0 lead.

Kobelt's 6-1, 6-1 victory in the first singles initiated the momentum the Orange needed to pull out the team win. Kobelt, 97-58 on her career, only needs three more triumphs to reach 100 career wins and become the 30th member of the Century Club.

Wins on the second and third courts gave Florida State a 3-1 edge in the match, but from there on out it was all 'Cuse.

Freshman Maria Avgerinos beat Kristina Schleich 6-2, 7-5, for her first collegiate victory at the fifth position. The final two singles went into three sets, with SU coming out on top in both. Salazar escaped Daniela Schippers, by winning 6-2, 1-6, 7-5 at fourth singles to tie the score at 3-3. The pro-Syracuse crowd then cheered junior Komal Safdar on as she sealed the Syracuse win in the last singles match, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, against Duda Santos.

"This is the most fighting team out there," Safdar said. "Every single person on this team is a warrior and we have not let down a fight. We just take it one point at a time."

Syracuse heads into a two-week break, preparing for more ACC action. The Orange will travel to Miami to face the Hurricanes on Friday, March, 21 at 11 a.m. Following that contest, the team will return to Syracuse for a two-game home stretch against Boston College on Sunday, March 23 at 10 a.m. and North Carolina on Sunday, March 30 at 10 a.m.