USF junior claims tennis tournament

Junior Fabiana Taverna finished the Lady Seminole Classic by beating out seven players to win the No. 3 singles championship. Taverna defeated Stetson’s Jackie Bohannon in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5.

Gabriela Duch, ranked No. 97 by the International Tennis Association, fell to No. 55 Kelly Anderson of Georgia Tech, 6-3, 6-3 in the No. 1 singles championship.

In the No. 4 singles championship, junior Louisa Obando, up 6-0, 2-0 in the second set had to pull out of the match due to an injury.

The Bulls will compete in the Illinois Invitational, Nov. 5-7, in Champaign, Ill.

USF cross country teams finish in top 10 at C-USA championships

The USF men’s and women’s cross country teams participated in the Conference USA Championships on Saturday at the Palos Hills Preserve in Palos Hills, Ill.

The women’s team finished fourth with 125 points, 24 points behind third place UAB. Marquette won its fifth straight championship, scoring 66 points and its seventh title in the last 10 years.

USF had three athletes place in the top 13 while earning All-Conference USA honors. Senior Christa Benton finished sixth in the 6K race with a time of 21:49. Junior Jessica Hellender took 11th with a time of 22:07, while junior Bente General placed 13th with 22:17.

The men’s team took 10th place with 254 points, five points behind Tulane. Houston won its first-ever Conference USA cross country title recording 73 points, only six points ahead of second place Charlotte (79 points).

Ryan Thomas led USF with a 41st place finish. He ran the 8K race in 26:49 while junior Derek Lincoln came in 43rd with a time of 26:51.

Women’s golf finishes 10th at tournament

The USF women’s golf team was in second place at the end of the second round in The Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, N.C., but the Bulls finished 10th out of 12 teams with a 54-hole 905. New Mexico won the event with an 878 total.

USF sophomore Daniella Ronderos finished in a ninth place tie, shooting a final round 67 for a 218 total. Freshman Christina Jones tied for 22nd at 223, while Kylene Pulley (43rd) shot 232, Amanda Smith (46th) finished at 235 and Fernanda Rivera (49th) shot 236.

The tournament wrapped up USF’s fall season. The Bulls return to the links on Feb. 20 at the Papa John’s Collegiate in Miami Lakes.