GAINESVILLE, FL – The SC State women will be trying for its first victory in the NCAA Tennis Championship Friday when they take on #2 Florida in opening-round action at UFs Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex. The match gets underway at 2 p.m. and will follow an 11 a.m. opening-round battle between Florida State and Washington State.

Friday's match will mark the fourth meeting between the Lady Bulldogs (19-0) and Florida (21-1), the defending national champion, who has won the previous three encounters by a 4-0 score. And if SC State is to break through for a victory this year, it will have to do it without two of its top two players.

Seniors Suhaila Jad and Sabrina Mendez, both of Madrid, Spain were unable to join their teammates in Florida for the match due to a family emergency that required them to return to their country immediately. Jad, who played No. 1 singles, had a 15-2 record, while Mendez was undefeated at 17-0, with all but two wins coming at No. 4 singles. The compatriots also made up the team's winningest doubles team with a 17-0 mark. Their absence means that SC State assistant Suzanna Mansour, will have to juggle her lineup for Friday's match.

Expected to lead the way for SC State is junior Maria Craciun, No. 3 singles, who was undefeated at 16-0 on the year and has qualified for the NCAA Tennis Singles Championship later this month.  Joining her will be junior Laura Bosneag, sophomores AKilah James and Valerina Savina and freshmen Victoria Khatcei and Katarina Barborikova. Savina will be seeing action for the first time this season.

The Lady Bulldogs are coming off an eighth straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title, while Florida recently captured the Southeastern Conference championship. The two teams are meeting in the first round for the third consecutive year. The winner advances to Saturday's second round.
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