The UNF women’s tennis team earned a 7-0 victory March 1 against Davidson College in a day filled with strong winds.

UNF is now in third place in the Atlantic Sun Conference standings with a record of 5-2 for the season, trailing only Stetson and Belmont.

Davidson and UNF are very similar in that they have a strong tennis team at a small school, making the match an even competition.

Davidson has also experienced relative levels of success in its athletics programs, highlighted by its basketball, which is a level UNF hopes to soon reach, UNF athletic director Lee Moon said during his inaugural press conference.

“The wind certainly played a factor in the match today, but the girls raised their level of play and picked up a big win for us,” head coach Rodrigo Puebla said in an athletic department press release. “Everyone was important in our win today against a Davidson team that is always very strong.”

In the No. 1 doubles matches the team including freshman Aline Berkenbrock and  junior Raquel Castro fell behind 5-2 before firing off six straight game wins to take the match 8-5.

Berkenbrock closed the match at the top position, finishing with a score of 6-2 and 6-4.

“I feel like today gives us a huge heading into conference play,” Puebla said. “ Wednesday’s match will be a big match not only because it’s at home, but because Stetson is a very solid team.”

Senior Ina Durcakova, along with freshman Nikita van Lierop were 8-2 winners in the matches taking two second positions. They were the only Ospreys that placed second in their matches against the Wildcats.

The Ospreys will return at 1 p.m. March 4 to the UNF tennis complex in the A-Sun Conference opener against in state-rival Stetson University.

E-mail Heather Furey at [email protected].