March 13, 2004

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Even though Ramona But posted a victory in top singles spot, Maryland was unable to hold off a surging Florida State women's tennis team, Saturday, at the Tennis Center at College Park. The No. 50-ranked Terrapins were defeated 5-2. Maryland fell to 5-6, 0-1 in the ACC on the season, while FSU improved to 11-4, 1-0 in the ACC.

The conference match began with a heated battle in doubles. The Terps changed their doubles line up in hopes of a winning combination. However doubles action saw Florida State power ahead Terps, taking two of the three doubles matches.

Maryland's No. 46-ranked doubles team of Marianne Baker (Glenelg, Md.) and Emily Marker (Ann Arbor, Mich.) were knocked off in the No. 1 position. Florida State's Mihaela Moldovan and Roxanne Clarke defeated the Terp duo, 8-6, to get the Seminoles rolling.

Ramona But (Timisoara, Romania) and Jennifer Dent (Safety Harbor, Fla.) struck back in the No. 2 doubles spot. But and Dent, playing together for the first time this spring, notched a convincing 8-2 victory over Anca Dumitrescu and Lindsay Deason.

The doubles point and the early lead came down to an exciting match in the No. 3 doubles slot. Terps Andreea Fusea (Bucharest, Romania) and Neda Mihneva (Sofia, Bulgaria), who were also playing together in a dual-match for the first time, were edged 8-9 by Brooke Cordell and Christina Denny.

The No. 53-ranked Seminoles reeled off four doubles wins to claim the win over the No. 50 Terrapins. The Terps posted two singles wins on the afternoon, behind But and Dent's victories in the Nos. 1 and 4 positions respectively. But, who is ranked No. 66 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, defeated Anca Dumitrescu, 7-5, 6-3.

No. 71 Emily Marker met No. 74 Mihaela Moldovan in repeat of their fall backdraw match at the Riviera All-American . Marker defeated Moldovan in straight sets at the All-American, however could not repeat her performance Saturday. Moldovan defeated the Terp senior, 6-4, 6-3.

Maryland's Baker suffered an unusual loss in the No. 3 singles position, dropping the match in straight sets to FSU's Christina Denny, 6-3, 6-1.

Dent put the Terps on the board for the final time Saturday. She defeated Lindsay Deason, 7-5, 6-1, in the No. 4 spot for her ninth singles win of the fall.

Andreea Fusea was defeated by Roxanne Clarke, 6-2, 7-5, in the No 5 singles spot. Freshman Masha Senic (Glenmont, N.Y.) rounded out the Terps lineup, filling the final singles position for the Terps. She was narrowly defeated 6-7 (5), in the first set by Amberly Tantee. Senic was finished off by Tantee in the second set, losing 7-5.

The Terps have some time off until they head south for their first conference road matches. The Terps will travel to Clemson on Mar. 27 and Georgia Tech on Mar. 28.

Final Score

# 53 Florida State 5, # 50 Maryland 2

Doubles
1.	Moldovan/Clarke (FSU) def. #46 Baker/Marker (MD), 8-6
2.	But/Dent (MD) def. Dumitrescu/ Deason (FSU), 8-2
3.	Cordell/ Denny (FSU) def. Fusea/Mihneva (MD), 9-8

Singles
1.	#66 Ramona But (MD) def. Anca Dumitrescu (FSU), 7-5, 6-3
2.	#74 Mihaela Moldovan (FSU) def. # 71 Emily Marker (MD), 6-4, 6-3
3.	Christina Denny (FSU) def. Marianne Baker (MD), 6-3, 6-1
4.	Jennifer Dent (MD) def. Lindsay Deason (FSU), 7-5, 6-1
5.	Roxanne Clarke (FSU) def. Andreea Fusea (MD), 6-2, 7-5
6.	Amberly Tantee (FSU) def. Masha Senic (MD), 7-6 (5), 6-4