The Rice women’s tennis team defeated Florida International University 4-1 at the George R. Brown Tennis Center on April 5.
The win brings Rice’s overall record to 13-6 and improves their home record to 8-1 this season. The match featured strong performances in both doubles and singles play, helping the Owls secure the victory.
Rice won the doubles point with victories on courts two and three. Francesca Maguina and Ema Mravcova started with a 6-1 win over Vittoria Baccino and Maria Araoz-Gosn, while Divna Ratkovic and Daniela Chica clinched the point by defeating Aleksandra Simeva and Maria Araoz-Gosn, 6-3. FIU took one doubles match when Katerina Madnelikova and Viktorie Hazmukova beat Darya Schwartzman and Uma Bakaityte, also by a score of 6-3.
In singles competition, Mravcova was first to finish for Rice with a straight-set win over Hazmukova (6-4, 6-0). FIU responded as Simeva defeated Chica (6-2, 6-1), but Ratkovic extended Rice’s lead by beating Baccino (6-4, 6-0). Nithesa Selvaraj secured the overall victory for Rice with her win against Araoz-Gosn (6-3, 6-4).
Play was halted on two remaining courts: Schwartzman was in a third set against Madelikova (3-6, 6-2, 3-4), while Maguina led Vico (6-4, 5–6) when action stopped.
Rice will conclude its regular season on April 13 against UAB at home.
